Horn makes crucial penalty save in Augsburg draw

Augsburg 1-1 Cologne
Goals: 0-1 Modeste (85'), 1-1 Max (88')

The home side came into Sunday's battle three points behind the visitors, just above the relegation play-off spot. And it was they who had the best of the opening minutes, with Florian Niederlechner forcing a couple of good saves from Horn. The Billy Goats failed to muster a shot on target in the first half, but Ismail Jakobs went closest with a header over the bar from close range. Niederlechner had the perfect chance to beat Horn on 27 minutes when his side won a penalty, Horn tripping Noah Sarenren-Bazee in the box. But Horn went from zero to hero with a brilliant save to deny Augsburg's top scorer from 12 yards - just as he did in the reverse fixture when he stopped Andre Hahn's spot-kick. Augsburg wing-back Max's set pieces caused plenty of problems for the Cologne defence but he couldn't find the target with a free-kick just before the half-time whistle.

The second half saw Cologne put up a much better fight, with the home side not dominating the game as they had done in the opening 45. Andreas Luthe was twice forced into action around the hour mark in the Augsburg goal, first to clear a dangerous Mark Uth cross and then to deny Jakobs as he slid a shot goalward from Florian Kainz's ball to the back post. With the home side struggling to create any meaningful chances, Jhon Cordoba kept searching for a goal for Cologne at the other end, but the Augsburg defence was up for the fight. Cordoba made way for Modeste with fewer than 10 minutes to play, and it took just three minutes for the Frenchman to make an impact: his left-footed half-volley from just inside the Augsburg box went across Luthe and into the far bottom corner. Modeste thought he had won it, but Max had other ideas. Just three minutes later, the wing-back was up from the back to meet Raphael Framberger's lobbed cross and slot the ball past Horn with his side's only shot on target in the second half, earning Augsburg a crucial point right at the death.

• Augsburg are unbeaten in a club-record 11 Bundesliga matches against Cologne (W5, D6).
• Horn made his 150th Bundesliga appearance, all of which have come for Cologne.
• Horn also saved a penalty in the reverse fixture between these two sides. The Cologne custodian has now saved each of his last two penalties faced in the Bundesliga.
• Niederlechner has missed two of his last three penalties in the Bundesliga.
• Modeste has now scored three goals in his last four Bundesliga games.
• Max scored his eighth goal of the season, a new personal best for him in a single season.

Watch: Horn: "Thankful to have saved it"

Augsburg: Luthe - Framberger, Jedvaj, Uduokhai, Max - Khedira (c), Gruezo - Sarenren Bazee, Richter, Vargas (Löwen 76') – Niederlechner (Finnbogason 76')
Unused subs: Koubek, Lichtsteiner, Suchy, Gouweleeuw, Schieber, Teigl, Oxford
Out: Giefer (foot), Hahn (tendon)
Coach: Heiko Herrlich

Cologne: Horn - Ehizibue, Leistner, Czichos, Schmitz (Katterbach 28') – Skhiri (Höger 46'), Hector (c) - Kainz, Uth (Rexhbecaj 71'), Jakobs - Cordoba (Modeste 82')
Unused subs: Kessler, Schindler, Mere, Thielmann, Lemperle
Out: Bornauw (suspended), Drexler (suspended), Hauptmann (groin), Risse (knee), Terodde (knee)
Coach: Markus Gisdol

Watch: Finnbogason: "We have to be grateful for the point"