Anthony Modeste scored a late winner as Cologne ended the year in eighth place and dumped VfB Stuttgart into the relegation play-off spot.

Cologne 1-0 VfB Stuttgart
Goals: 1-0 Modeste 89' (assist: Schindler)

Cologne made a furious start as Modeste scored inside two minutes, only for the goal to be ruled out for a handball against Florian Kainz in the build-up. The linesman's flag spared Stuttgart once again seven minutes later, with Ondrej Duda adjudged to have strayed offside as Louis Schaub thundered in a rebound after Florian Müller had denied Modeste. Duda fired straight at Müller and Kainz screwed wide, but Stuttgart wrestled back a modicum of control, albeit without once testing Marvin Schwäbe between the Cologne goalposts.

Schwäbe was finally made to work early in the second half, the Cologne stopper getting between a Stuttgart shirt and Omar Marmoush's cross into the near post. Modeste failed to make the most of an opening in the Stuttgart box, before Tanguy Coulibably got caught in two minds, electing to pass instead of shoot, when through on goal at the other end. Momentum appeared to be building in Cologne's favour as Modeste fired a Jonas Hector cut-back wide, before heading in substitute Kingsley Schindler's cross for his second 89th-minute winner in as many games.

Match stats

• Cologne have scored nine times in the final 15 minutes of their games this season.
• Only Robert Lewandowski (76) has had more shots on goal than Modeste (64) so far this term.
• Cologne are one of just three Bundesliga teams (alongside Mainz and Hoffenheim) yet to be awarded a penalty this season.
• The Billy Goats recorded their first clean sheet of the campaign.
• Every Bundesliga game so far this season has produced at least 17 efforts on goal. There were 13 in this one.
• VfB have only won one of eight away matches in 2021/22, drawing five and losing four.

Watch: Modeste: "We believed in ourselves"

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Line-ups

Cologne: Schwäbe – Schmitz, Hübers, Czichos (Kilian 86'), Hector (c) – Özcan - Kainz (Schindler 71'), Duda (Uth 57'), Schaub (J. Horn 56') – Modeste, Andersson (Thielmann 57')
Unused subs: Urbig, Ehizibue, Mere, Lemperle
Out: Hauptmann (ill), T. Horn (knee), Köbbing (knee), Ljubicic (muscular), Ostrak (muscular), Skhiri (ill)
Coach: Steffen Baumgart

Stuttgart: Müller – Mavropanos, Anton, Ito – Führich (Stenzel 79'), Endo (c), Mangala, Coulibaly (Faghir 89') – Förster (Nartey 72'), Marmoush (Silas 71'), Klimowicz (Tibidi 72')
Unused subs: Schock, Kempf, Didavi, Beyaz
Out: Kalajdzic (shoulder), Klement (not included), Massimo (ankle), Millot (knee), Sankoh (knee)
Coach: Pellegrino Matarazzo

Watch: Matarazzo: “Modeste’s goal was like a fadeaway jumper in basketball”

About the clubs

1. FC Köln

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VfB Stuttgart

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