Modeste on target again as Cologne hold Leipzig

Cologne 1-1 RB Leipzig
Goals: 1-0 Modeste (53’), 1-1 Haidara (71')

Saturday’s late match saw the RheinEnergieStadion packed with fans in full voice, but they had to endure a couple of early moments of panic as Christopher Nkunku had a goal disallowed for offside before also hitting the woodwork. Cologne responded well, though, with Ondrej Duda hitting a sweet volley onto Peter Gulasci’s left post, while Mark Uth also had a goal ruled out for offside. Having matched each other blow for blow, the teams went into half-time on level terms.

The home side began to threaten early in the second period, and Modeste looked to have added to his tally for the season, only for the raised flag to confirm that Cologne’s talisman had been caught offside. The 33-year-old was not to be denied, though, and rifled in the opening goal five minutes later after Mohamed Simaken fluffed his lines with a clearance. Emil Forsberg also had an effort chalked off at the other end after straying marginally offside, but Leipzig hauled themselves level when Amadou Haidara powered home Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner. The visitors threw everything forward in search of a winner, but it was Cologne who almost nicked a winner with the final meaningful kick of the game. Duda miscued his close-range effort straight at Gulacsi, though.

• Cologne’s opener was Modeste’s first goal of the season not scored with his head.
• Coach Steffen Baumgart has already overseen over half as many wins after five rounds of fixtures at the Cologne helm as he did across the entire 2019/20 Bundesliga campaign as Paderborn coach.
• Haidara’s goal was the 2500th Cologne have conceded in their Bundesliga history.
• Die Roten Bullen conceded a league-low 32 Bundesliga goals in 2020/21. They have already shipped seven in five so far this term.
• Andre Silva averaged a goal every 99 minutes in the 2020/21 Bundesliga, compared to every 377 so far this term (one in five games).
• Leipzig’s equaliser was their first goal away from home this season.

Watch: Forsberg: “A step forward for us today”

Cologne: T. Horn - Schmitz (Özcan 82'), Kilian, Czichos (Mere 31'), Hector (c) - Skhiri - Duda, Ljubicic, Uth (Ehizibue 68') - Modeste (53') (Andersson 68') , Thielmann (Schindler 82')
Unused subs: Schwäbe, Hübers, Schaub, Ostrak
Out: J. Horn (hip), Kainz (suspended)
Coach: Steffen Baumgart

Leipzig: Gulacsi (c) - Klostermann, Orban, Simakan, Gvardiol - Haidara (71') (Adams 85'), Kampl - Szoboszlai (Laimer 90'+3), Olmo (Forsberg 57'), Nkunku - Silva (Poulsen 57')
Unused subs: Martinez, Angelino, Brobbey, Mukiele, Henrichs
Out: Halstenberg (ankle), Saracchi (knee)
Coach: Jesse Marsch

Watch: Uth: "We need to carry on like this"