Magdeburg Ends Home Misery, Defeats Köln 3-0
Magdeburg, Germany – 1. FC Magdeburg has finally triumphed on home turf after almost a year of barren results, securing a 3-0 victory against 1. FC Köln on Saturday. Daniel Heber, Mohammed El Hankouri, and Samuel Loric scored the goals for the hosts, lifting them to within two points of Köln in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga standings.
Köln’s Early Dominance
Köln started the match strongly, with Florian Kainz forcing Magdeburg goalkeeper Dominik Reimann into a fine save from a long-range effort in the 4th minute. Timo Bernd Hübers then set up Mathias Olesen for two close-range chances, both of which Reimann denied. Köln maintained control of the midfield and exploited Magdeburg’s frequent turnovers in possession.
Magdeburg’s Annullled Opener
Despite their dominance, Köln conceded an apparent goal to Livan Burcu in the 18th minute. Burcu cut inside from the right and found Alexander Ahl-Holmström, who fired home. However, the referee ruled Burcu offside, which was confirmed by video review.
Magdeburg’s Improved Performance After the Break
The match was briefly halted in the 50th minute due to pyrotechnics being set off in the Magdeburg section. Once play resumed, Magdeburg came out with renewed determination. Martijn Kaars headed a chance over the bar, but Heber made no mistake in the 73rd minute, nodding in a free kick from Baris Atik.
El Hankouri doubled Magdeburg’s lead six minutes later, tapping in the rebound after Schwäbe parried Kaars’ shot. Loric sealed the win in the 90th minute with a clinical finish to cap off a dominant second-half performance from the home side.
Titz’s Milestone
The win was a memorable one for Magdeburg manager Christian Titz, who celebrated his 100th match in the 2. Bundesliga. Having taken over a struggling Magdeburg team in the 3. Liga in February 2021, Titz has guided them to the top half of the second division.
Köln’s Setback
The defeat marks a setback for Köln, who had been hoping to consolidate their position in the promotion race. Manager Gerhard Struber will be disappointed with his team’s inability to convert their early chances and conceding three goals.
League Standings
Magdeburg’s victory sees them move up to third place in the table, level on points with Hamburger SV and just two points behind Köln. The top three teams are now separated by just two points, setting up an exciting race for promotion.
