Malek and Saïd El Mala become the first siblings to assist the other in two decades
Saïd El Mala’s late strike against Bayer Leverkusen may not have been enough to earn Cologne a point in Sunday’s 2-1 Rhine derby defeat, but it was a moment to remember. Set up by older brother Malek, it was the first Bundesliga goal scored and assisted by siblings in more than 20 years.
Patrik Schick had put Leverkusen 2-0 up in the 85th minute, but the El Malas combined in stoppage time to provide Cologne fans with glimmer of hope when Malek whipped in a cross from the right that Saïd turned in.
In doing so, they became the first sibling pair to register goal and assist in 20 years.
Watch: Cologne 1-2 Bayer Leverkusen - highlights
“I keep saying that we understand each other blindly on the pitch,” explained Saïd, who has three goals in eight league appearances this term. “I saw how he shaped up to cross. Then I made a run straight to the near post. The ball from him was brilliant, of course. You couldn’t play it any better.”
The only other occasion on record of one brother setting up another is when Hamit Altintop teed up his twin Halil to score the opening goal in a 2-1 victory for Schalke against Hamburg on 14 October 2006.
Watch: Saïd El Mala explains understanding with brother Malek
Germany’s top flight has, of course, played host to a number of high profile brothers from Klaus and Thomas Allofs who played together at Fortuna Düsseldorf and Cologne, while Karl-Heinz and Michael Rummenigge played alongside each other at Bayern Munich.
With Cologne's injury crisis in attack leaving Ragnar Ache and Thijs Dallinga sidelined, it could be that the brothers start a Bundesliga game for the first time against Bayern on Matchday 10 when Germany's top flight resumes after the international break.
