Köln oust Osnabrück in extra-time to reach Pokal round two
FC Köln travelled to VFL Osnabrück this evening as both sides commenced what one would hope to be the start of a lengthy DfB Pokal run. Setting up in a 4-1-3-2 system, Steffen Baumgart handed competitive debuts to new signings Paqarada and Waldschmidt. Meanwhile, Olesen deputised for Dejan Ljubicic who missed out through an ankle injury.
Köln knew they were in for a battle and a half at the atmospheric Bremer Brücke stadium. Osnabrück enjoyed promotion to the 2.Bundesliga last season when they finished strongly in 2nd place. The purple and white clad club from Lower Saxony competed fiercely inside the first half. It took a wonder strike from Beno Schmitz to put ‘Effzeh’ in the driving seat. Huseinbasic spotted the onrushing full-back who smacked the ball in via the crossbar from 20 metres out. Köln took that hard-fought 1-0 lead into the dressing rooms.
Osnabrück tore into the second half in a courageous manner. Roared on by their home support, they sent about actively creating chances. Köln made a double change not long after the hour mark – a double Danish substitution at that, as Carstensen and Christensen came in. However, it would be Osnabrück who snatched a lifeline minutes later. Waldschmidt the guilty party who coughed up the penalty. Marvin Schwäbe saved the initial spot kick, but Makridis made amends with the rebound. VfL restoring parity at 1-1 and so it remained until full-time.
Six minutes of extra-time action was all it took for Köln to establish a 3-1 advantage. The first of which, Paqarada set up for Adamyan at the back post. Jeff Chabot’s effort would go one better – the centre-half gathered Olesen’s pass and blasted home from range as if he were an attacking midfielder. Steffen Baumgart and Effzeh had their passage to Pokal round two secured.