FC Köln hang on to record 3rd consecutive win
FC Köln have moved up to 10th place in the German Bundesliga table to finish Friday evening with a 2-1 win away to Paderborn.
Markus Gisdol’s side were well on top before Jorge Mere slid home at the back post to scramble home a corner in the 28th minute.
Less than 10 minutes later Jonas Hector produced a sublime first time 20-yard finish into the top corner, giving Leopold Zingerle no chance.
The visitors to the Benteler Arena on Friday evening went in with a deserved 2-0 lead at the break. They came out on top in the second half too but failed to cause many problems for the Paderborn goalkeeper, particularly after looking very threatening from set pieces in the first half.
Paderborn hadn’t had a shot on target all game until Dennis Srbeny produced a bullet header to halve the score in the 73rd minute from a delicious right wing cross from Kai Pröger.
The final 20 minutes was all with the hosts but the only time they came close to forcing an equaliser was Abdelhamid Sabiri’s 35 yard dipping free kick that required Timo Horn to fingertip the ball onto the crossbar and out for a corner.
Victory moves Köln 11 points above the relegation playoff, on a three-game winning streak in the Bundesliga and five in their last seven. Paderborn remain bottom on 16 points after 25 games, five points behind Fortuna Dusseldorf in the relegation playoff spot.