Jones nets late as St.Pauli force stalemate with 1.FC Köln
| Photo: Lars Baron/Getty Images. |
A 1.FC Köln side, without a victory in three games, welcomed a struggling St. Pauli side to the RhineEnergie Stadion this afternoon. The game ultimately finished as a 1-1 stalemate with a late Ricky-Jade Jones goal salvaging a point for St.Pauli.
In what would ultimately end as a scoreless first-half of play, Köln started on the front foot with Nikola Vasilj forced to be quick off his line to deny the rampaging Said El-Mala inside the initial 10 minutes.
The Bosnian shot-stopper was called upon again to keep the 19-year-old out on 21 minutes. His parry preceded Luca Waldschmidt's effort which bounced off a St.Pauli leg and the goalpost.
Approaching the half-hour and beyond, the visitors from the Hanseatic city started to gain some control of possession. Karol Mets and his defensive counterparts began to get the edge on Köln to reach the break.
However, the breakthrough came five minutes into the second-half. Köln launched a quick counterattack as Waldschmidt's pass found El-Mala. The teenage sensation withstood Pereira-Lage's shirt pull and slotted home with an air of coolness.
Alexander Blessin opted to replenish his attack with a little over 20 minutes remaining. A rather quiet Martjin Kaars and Pereira-Lage were called ashore for Ricky-Jade Jones and Connor Metcalfe.
Kwasniok also showed his hand around the same time. Denis Huseinbasic and the lively Marius Bülter made way for Isak Jóhannesson and Ragnar Ache. Vasilj remained untested until Waldschmidt's long-range effort on 77 minutes.
Although St.Pauli looked rather blunt all evening, a final hopeful ball in the 94th-minute of added time proved pivotal. Late substitute Jones and Danel Sinani the the heroes as the latter's cross was flicked to the net in the last passage of the game.
