That was an evening to forget. Werder were beaten comfortably 7-1 in Köln. SVW were humbled from early on. After just 15 minutes, they were already 2-0 behind through goals from Maina (9’) and Tigges (15’). In the rest of the first half there were also goals from Tigges again (21’), Skhiri (30’) and Huseinbasic (36’). Füllkrug’s header (38’) was Werder’s only goal. SVW were more stable after the break, but still conceded two more goals.
Squad news: Werder manager Ole Werner makes two changes from Werder's last game before the winter break. Miloš Veljković and Ilia Gruev come into the starting line up. The Green-Whites start in a 5-3-2 formation.
Starting eleven: Pavlenka - Stark, Veljkovic, Friedl - Weiser, Groß, Jung, Bittencourt, Gruev - Füllkrug, Ducksch.
The bench: Zetterer – Pieper, Stage, Burke, Dinkci, Schmidt, Buchanan, Mbom, Chiarodia.
Highlights from the first half:
9th minute: A shock start for SVW. Skhiri passes to Maina on the right hand side of the box, who sends the ball in the bottom left to make it 1-0 to FC Köln.
15th minute: Tigges scores the second goal for Köln. That hurts, and Werder are two goals behind after a quarter of an hour. Werder lose possession just outside their own box, Kainz takes advantage and plays in Tigges, who puts the ball in the net from around ten yards away.
21st minute: Tigges makes it 3-0. Pavlenka leaves his box to clear a Köln long ball, but gives the ball to Tigges, who lofts the ball over the defenders into an empty net from almost 40 yards out.
30th minute: The hosts score again, 4-0. There’s confusion in the box and Tigges somehow finds Skhiri with a back heel, who scores from close range.
36th minute: Tigges plays the ball square into the box to Huseinbasic, who slots home nicely from eight yards. 5-0.
38th minute: 5-1. Füllkrug rises highest from a corner and heads the ball into the right side of the net.
45+3 minute: Half time!
Highlights from the second half:
54th minute: Skhiri with the next goal. Köln are able to cross the ball from the right side, and Skhiri leaps in the air and scores with a scissor-kick. Today is just one of those days.
76th minute: An unlucky own goal from Marco Friedl to make it 7-1. The Werder captain tries to clear the ball and instead puts it in his own net. It really is a torrid day for the Green-Whites.
90+1 minute: That’s that.
Summary: Everyone at Werder anticipated a completely different start to the second half of the season. The Green-Whites were simply not in the game today. 1. FC Köln were extremely clinical in the first half. SVW, who have shown so many great performances this season, have to and will learn from the game. That’s for sure.
