Borussia Dortmund secured a crucial 2-1 away victory against 1. FC Köln, thanks to a late goal from Jakub Kamiński.
The Bundesliga clash at RheinEnergieSTADION saw Dortmund, second in the league, aiming to strengthen their title challenge. Hosts Köln, sitting 13th, desperately sought points to climb away from the relegation zone.
Borussia Dortmund began with purpose, controlling possession and pressing the Köln defense. Their early pressure paid off when Serhou Guirassy opened the scoring in the 16th minute. Maximilian Beier provided the assist, setting up Guirassy to slot home.
Köln struggled to create clear chances against a well-organized Dortmund side. Marvin Schwäbe in the Köln goal remained busy, making several crucial saves to keep his team in the match.
The first half ended in dramatic fashion. Just before the whistle, J. Simpson-Pusey of Köln received a red card in the 45+2 minute for roughing. This incident left the home side with a difficult task, down a goal and a man.
At the break, Köln faced a significant challenge. Manager Steffen Baumgart needed to inspire his ten men, while Dortmund aimed to capitalize fully on their numerical advantage and extend their lead.
Dortmund capitalized quickly in the second half. They pushed forward, and their efforts were rewarded in the 60th minute when Maximilian Beier himself found the net. Julian Brandt created the goal with a clever assist, doubling Dortmund’s lead.
Despite being two goals down and a man short, Köln showed strong fighting spirit. They refused to surrender, rallying to put pressure on the Dortmund backline.
Their persistence paid off in the 88th minute. Jakub Kamiński, a constant threat, fired a shot past Gregor Kobel to give Köln a lifeline. The late goal injected renewed hope and set up a thrilling final few minutes.
Köln pressed intensely for an unlikely equalizer, but Dortmund’s defense held firm under pressure. Nico Schlotterbeck had an outstanding performance for the visitors, expertly leading the backline and earning an 8.3 rating.
The statistics reflected a competitive match despite the scoreline. Dortmund held 61% possession and an xG of 1.95, while Köln managed a respectable 1.14 xG. Köln recorded 14 total shots to Dortmund’s 13, showing their attacking intent even with ten men.
This hard-fought victory sees Borussia Dortmund strengthen their grip on second place in the Bundesliga standings. Köln, meanwhile, remains in a challenging 13th position, continuing their battle for survival in the top flight.
