Compared with the emphatic performance against the Irons, head coach Xabi Alonso made three changes for the derby starting line-up: Jonathan Tah replaced Odilon Kossounou in the back three, Exequiel Palacios came in for Kerem Demirbay in central midfield and Callum Hudson-Odoi was preferred on the left flank in place of Nadiem Amiri. Patrik Schick and Charles Aránguiz are out of action through injury and also sidelined are Florian Wirtz, Paulinho, Sardar Azmoun and Daley Sinkgraven.
In the 69th Bundesliga match against FC Köln it was the hosts who pressed Bayer 04 in the first few minutes and they had more possession early on. The hosts had the first chance with Lukas Hradecky tipping a shot from Sargis Adamyan from ten yards out over the bar (7'). The first efforts for the Werkself came from Jeremie Frimpong (6') and Adam Hlozek (13') but they posed no threat. Both teams looked to remained organised and solid to prevent the opposition having too much space. The action in the first 30 minutes was between the boxes without any notable high points. Efforts from Palacios (25') and Moussa Diaby (27') also failed to put Marvin Schwäbe under pressure in the FC Köln net.
The home side had more of the game – and went in front. After a cross from the left by Adamyan, Schmitz hit an unstoppable volley into the far corner of the net from the edge of the box leaving Hradecky with no chance as the Cologne team took the lead (30'). The Werkself were disorganised in this move with the goalscorer completely unmarked on the edge of the box. Bayer 04 were unable to get a real foothold in the game at this stage and were often second best in challenges. A left-foot shot from Florian Kainz was saved by Hradecky without any problems (39'). At the other end, a powerful header from Edmond Tapsoba from a Hudson-Odoi free kick went high over the target (45'). The hosts took a deserved lead into the half-time break.
FC Köln also made the better start to the second half. Hradecky produced a brilliant save to tip a shot from Jonas Hector onto the bar and seconds later kept out an effort on goal from Adamyan that was heading for the top corner (49'). A shot from Linton Maina did not worry the Finnish keeper at all (53'). Bayer 04 were under constant pressure and found it difficult to break free. The Werkself were making mistakes in build-up play and Xabi Alonso reacted with a triple substitution: Odilon Kossounou, Nadiem Amiri and Amine Adli came on for Tah, Palacios and Hlozek (59'). That quickly paid off: Amiri levelled at 1-1 with a free kick from 20 yards out that deflected off Kingsley Schindler in the wall with his keeper Schwäbe going the wrong way (65').
The Werkself were lucky at the other end when Maina hit a shot over the bar from close range (66'). FC Köln were unfazed by conceding the goal – but they were then hit again in a classic counter-attack from the Werkself. Frimpong raced down the left wing, beat Hector in the penalty area and unselfishly squared the ball to Diaby who had a tap-in to make it 2-1 for Leverkusen (71'). The Black and Reds had turned the game on its head within six minutes.
FC Köln pressed hard in the closing stages looking for an equaliser and the Werkself were lucky again when a header from Steffen Tigges came back off the bar (82'). Robert Andrich was shown a yellow card shortly after that. It was the fifth for the midfielder and that means he will be suspended for Saturday's game against VfB Stuttgart. Demirbay came on for Hudson-Odoi (85'), Timothy Fosu Mensah for Frimpong (90'). There were four minutes of added time. But Bayer 04 defended their lead and secured the 2-1 win.
The Werkself are back in action in the final match of 2022: Bayer 04 entertain VfB Stuttgart on Saturday 12 November with the kick-off at the BayArena at 15.30 CET.
Match stats:
FC Köln: Schwäbe – Schmitz (Schindler 61'), Kilian, Soldo, Hector – Skhiri, Martel – Maina (Tigges 74'), Huseinbasic, Kainz (Thielmann 74') – Adamyan (Duda 80')
Bayer 04: Hradecky – Tah (Kossounou 59'), Tapsoba, Hincapie – Frimpong (Fosu-Mensah 90’), Andrich, Palacios (Amiri 59'), Bakker – Diaby, Hlozek (Adli 59'), Hudson-Odoi (Demirbay 85')
Goals: 1-0 Schmitz (30’), 1-1 Amiri (65’), 1-2 Diaby (71’)
Booked: Thielmann – Andrich, Demirbay
Referee: Tobias Stieler (Hamburg)
Attendance: 50,000
Bayer 04 are away to Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb on Matchday 5 of the league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League. The game kicks off on Thursday 26 November at 18:45 CET at the Maksimir Stadium. All the information on ticket sales.
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