Cologne equaliser denies Bochum first win

Bochum 1-1 Cologne
Goals: 1-0 Schmitz (9’ o.g.), 1-1 Maina (88’)

Cologne were bidding to bounce back from losing their unbeaten record against a side who have yet to pick up a single point all season, and it was they who needed a bit of a break and got it, as they took the lead with more than a bit of a helping hand from their guests. Jonas Hector cut out a cross from the left, but his attempted clearance was helped into the back of the goal by Schmitz. Gerrit Holtmann hammered a shot against the left-hand post as Bochum went close to doubling their lead, but it would not have been a true reflection of a first half which Cologne largely controlled, albeit without being able to forge a path through the Bochim defence.

Jordi Osei-Tutu replaced Holtmann at the break and he had the chance to double Bochum’s lead, although the offside flag was raised seconds after his shot was saved. Cologne doubled their efforts to level and very nearly did so when Manuel Riemann hooked Maina’s header off the line. Again, the offside flag was raised, but the stunning save still served to strengthen Bochum’s belief that their first points were going on the Bundesliga board. Riemann repeated the trick to turn another Maina effort wide, before the post came to his rescue to keep a Florian Dietz drive out. The third duel between the pair ended with the opposite outcome, though, as Maina took advantage of a defensive mistake before slotting his shot low through Riemann’s legs to earn Cologne a late leveller.

• The last time Bochum went without conceding a goal in the Bundesliga was on April 10 in a 0-0 draw against Leverkusen.
• Cologne conceded early goals also against Wolfsburg (2nd minute) and Union Berlin (3rd)
• Conversely, three of Bochum’s five goals so far this season have come inside the first 13 minutes.
• Bochum are the third team in Bundesliga history to start a season with six straight losses, after Fortuna Dusseldorf - relegated at the end of 1991/92 - and Mainz, who lived to fight another top-flight day in 2021/22.
• Thanks to this draw, there has still never been a team without a point after seven Bundesliga matches.
• The Billy Goats have a better head-to-head record against Bochum than any team they’ve faced (W33, D17, L11). They haven’t lost to them since 18 April 2004.

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Watch: Osei-Tutu: "A step in the right direction"

Bochum: Riemann - Gamboa (Janko 79'), Oerman (Masovic 79'), Ordets (Lampropoulos 90'), Soares - Stöger, Losilla (c), Osterhage - Zoller, Hofmann (Antwi-Adjei 79'), Holtmann (Osei-Tutu 46')
Unused subs: Esser, Förster, Ganvoula, Horn
Out: Asano (knee), Goralski (muscular), Grave (shoulder), Heintz (muscular), Mousset (muscular), Stafylidis (muscular)
Coach: Heiko Butscher

Cologne: Schwäbe - Schmitz (Schindler 63'), Soldo, Hübers, Hector (c) - Duda (Martel 63'), Skhiri - Thielmann (Maina 63'), Ljubicic (Dietz 74'), Kainz (Adamyan 74') - Tigges
Unused subs: Horn, Pedersen, Huseinbasic, Lemperle,
Out: Andersson (knee), Chabot (ankle), Kilian (suspended), Limnios (knee), Olesen (ankle), Uth (pubic bone)
Coach: Steffen Baumgart