This time last year, Cologne, Paderborn and Union Berlin were scrapping away in the second tier. On Sunday the three promoted sides all had the chance to get closer to their aims. Once again, Cologne were the fall guys.
Image: Imago Images/Contrast/O. Behrendt
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LLLLDL and WLLDLW. Though it may look like the name of an unpronouncable Welsh village, it's actually the league records of the Bundesliga's last two clubs, Cologne and Paderborn, since they met on October 20 and Cologne won 3-0.
That victory, over the club that won automatic promotion with them last term, should have served as a spur for Cologne to kick on but it's done the opposite. Paderborn have since won seven of their eight total points following an injury-time win over Werder Bremen on Sunday. Cologne have picked up a single point and now sit rock bottom.
"We made exactly the mistakes that we have to avoid and that we spoke about," said Cologne coach Markus Gisdol, the fourth man to hold the post in the last two years, after their 2-0 loss to Union Berlin. "Union showed us how to get out of our situation," he continued, in a nod to the capital-city club who finished below Paderborn and Cologne in the second tier last term but won promotion by beating Stuttgart in the relegation playoff.
Union play to their strengths
The performance of Union, who have won their last four home games without conceding, was typically disciplined, unfussy and effective. Urs Fischer's side played to their strengths, rode out a decent early Cologne spell and unsettled their opponents with direct but precise service to their two powerful frontmen. One of them, Sebastian Andersson, scored both goals and now has eight league strikes, 44 percent of his team's total.
Union's success has been a surprise built on solid foundations and a strong sense of identity on and off the pitch. Cologne's struggles are not a great surprise, and their foundations appear to be made of a particularly fragile sand but they do have an identity. The Billy Goats are a storied club with a wage bill, transfer budget and fanbase to match. But those things don't win matches.
As a result, their fans have become accustomed to relegation, having seen sides with various shades of talent go down six times in the last 21 years. And the club once again looks fractured. There are rifts between the board and the fans, and the constant chopping and changing of coaches suggests a muddled thinking that has transferred itself to the pitch. The early success of their most recent firing - Achim Beierlorzer - at fellow strugglers Mainz (two wins from three) rubs salt in that particular wound.
As did substitute Sven Michel's late winner at Werder Bremen a couple of hours after Cologne's latest low. Paderborn were not especially impressive in their win but they were resolute and they endured against a Bremen side lacking any fluency. In truth, despite the recent uptick, Paderborn still look short of quality in key areas, but they aren't short of spirit.
Sven Michel celebrates his late winner for PaderbornImage: Imago Images/foto2press
As recently as 2017, the north-western club were finishing 18th in the third tier and saved from further relegation only by the travails of 1860 Munich. But their remarkable rise since that point looked to have seen them reach the pinnacle too quickly, with just one point won in their first eight games.
Bundesliga Matchday 14: In pictures
League leaders Gladbach beat Bayern at home at the last, Dortmund ran riot against Düsseldorf, and Julian Nagelsmann defeated his old club. On Sunday, Union Berlin extended their great home run against sorry Cologne.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Scheuber
Union Berlin 2 - 0 Cologne
A fourth consecutive home win without conceding a goal has Union Berlin looking up the table as they stretched the gap to their opponents, in the last relegation place, to 11 points. These two met in the 2. Bundesliga last season but the hosts looked a class above. Top scorer Sebastian Andersson powered in a first half header before rolling in a finish after the break. Cologne haven't won in six.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/M. Hitij
Werder Bremen 0-1 Paderborn
The visitors stole three points after some very late drama. Bremen had edged the game in terms of chances but looked to be heading towards two points dropped when Sven Michel diverted home a ball deflected off teammate Streli Mamba. Referee Sascha Stegemann said offside, but the VAR spotted Gebre Selassie keeping Michel onside and Paderborn had their second win of the season.
Image: Imago Images/foto2press
Borussia Dortmund 5-0 Fortuna Düsseldorf
Playing all in black in a special "steel and coal" jersey dedicated to the city's mining heritage, Lucien Favre's Dortmund dug deep to deliver precisely the performance they needed. Fortuna Düsseldorf made life rather easy for them though, sitting deep all game, and eventually capitulating as the second half turned into a rout. Jadon Sancho scored twice, set one up, and had another disallowed.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/M. Rose
Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 Bayern Munich
The league leaders stay top of the table, and consign Bayern Munich to seventh place in the Bundesliga. Left back Ramy Bensebaini scored both of Gladbach's goals, the winner being a late penalty. Bayern had more of the ball and probably the better of the chances, but maybe the writing was on the wall when Robert Lewandowski couldn't find the target for a third weekend in the Bundesliga.
Image: Reuters/R. Orlowski
RB Leipzig 3-1 Hoffenheim
Julian Nagelsmann got the better of his old club, retaining second spot in the table. Until Gladbach's late winner, they were set to take the lead outright. Timo Werner's exceptional scoring run endures, as he netted twice to reach 15 in 14 Bundesliga games this season. He's laid on another five for good measure.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/O. Andersen
Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Schalke
Lucas Alario scored both of Leverkusen's goals as the Werkself extended their impressive run of form to three wins and a draw in their last four in the Bundesliga. They move up to sixth in the process, also drawing level on points with Schalke. The Royal Blues netted late to keep their hosts honest, but couldn't snatch a point.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/C. Koepsel
Freiburg 1-0 Wolfsburg
When you play Freiburg, try never to foul. For a second consecutive week, Jonathan Schmid scored a peachy free kick with his cultured right boot. This time, though, the Strasbourg sharpshooter's efforts secured three points for his team. Freiburg now have an impressive 25 points. Almost out of the relegation fight, months ahead of schedule, when do they graduate into genuine European hopefuls?
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Seeger
Augsburg 2-1 Mainz
Mainz took the early lead in the north of Bavaria, only for Augsburg to draw level before the break. Marco Richter missed an open goal before later converting from close range. In the second period, Florian Niederlechner converted a penalty won by Ruben Vargas to bag the points for the hosts. Augsburg leapfrog Mainz in the table in the process and now have 17 points to Mainz's 15.
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Eintracht Frankfurt 2-2 Hertha Berlin
Jürgen Klinsmann looked set for a first win after his big move to the German capital when Hertha took a 2-0 lead against the hosts only to cede it in the last half hour. Frankfurt may feel hard done by too, given a disallowed goal and several late chances to pinch all three points. Hertha and Klinsi have a tough December in store with games against Freiburg, Leverkusen and Gladach.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Scheuber
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But the strength forged in adversity has given Steffen Baumgart's men hope of survival despite modest resources as they leapfrog Cologne. For Union, their hope is now of even loftier achievements despite their own lack of funds. For the third of this season's new boys, it's not clear where any sources of hope lie.
