Thijs Dallinga’s brace completes Köln’s 3-2 comeback

1. FC Köln came from behind to defeat 1899 Hoffenheim 3-2 at the RheinEnergieStadion, securing the win after trailing 1-0 at half-time in the opening Bundesliga round.

Hoffenheim lead before Köln respond

Hoffenheim took control of the score in the 27th minute when Adam Daghim finished a move assisted by Bambasé Conté. The visitors also had the larger share of possession, holding 58% compared with Köln’s 42%, and completed 423 accurate passes to Köln’s 275. Their seven corners and 490 total passes reflected a side that was comfortable seeing more of the ball.

Köln, however, carried the greater threat in the penalty area. They recorded 13 shots inside the box, compared with six for Hoffenheim, and had 18 attempts overall to the visitors’ 14. The hosts also registered six shots on goal, two more than Hoffenheim, keeping the match competitive despite their lower share of possession.

Penalty miss changes the momentum

Köln levelled six minutes after the interval through Said El Mala. Hoffenheim then missed a major opportunity to restore their advantage when Max Moerstedt failed to convert a penalty in the 57th minute. That moment preceded another change in the score, as Ozan Kabak put Hoffenheim back in front in the 67th minute with an assist from Vladimír Coufal.

Köln’s response was immediate. After Said El Mala was replaced by Linton Maina in the 65th minute, Maina supplied the assist for Thijs Dallinga’s equaliser in the 72nd minute. Dallinga completed the turnaround 10 minutes later, scoring again to make it 3-2. Köln’s three goals came from only six shots on goal, while Hoffenheim had four shots on target and still finished without a third goal.

Dallinga decisive from the bench

Dallinga was the outstanding performer by match rating, earning 9.7 after playing 25 minutes. His two goals made the substitute the decisive figure in Köln’s comeback. El Mala also made a major contribution with a goal in 65 minutes, while Daghim and Kabak were Hoffenheim’s scorers. Hoffenheim’s two yellow cards went to Kabak in the 83rd minute and Moerstedt in the 90th; Köln received none, and there were no red cards.

The pre-match standings listed Köln 13th and Hoffenheim fourth, with both teams on zero points from zero games. This result gives Köln the opening-round victory, while Hoffenheim begin the completed round with a defeat. No recent form data was available for either side, but the final score underlined Köln’s efficiency: Hoffenheim had more possession and passes, yet Köln produced the comeback and the win.