Köln’s struggles continue as Borussia Dortmund secure a 2-1 victory, increasing relegation fears. Serhou Guirassy and Maximilian Beier scored for Dortmund, while Jakub Kaminski found the net for Köln.
Borussia Dortmund have eased their title ambitions after securing a hard-fought 2-1 win over 1. FC Köln on Thursday. The result leaves Köln battling to avoid relegation as their winless run extends.
Köln came out firing, creating several early chances. Isak Johannesson was denied twice in quick succession in the opening minutes, with Ramy Bensebaini blocking his follow-up attempt. Youssoupha Niang also tested Gregor Kobel with a header in the fifth minute, but the Dortmund goalkeeper was equal to the task.
Despite Köln’s early pressure, Dortmund struck first. Serhou Guirassy broke the deadlock in the 16th minute, finishing off a play following a corner kick to make it 1-0.
The game took a dramatic turn just before halftime when Köln’s Jahmei Simpson-Pusey was shown a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Maximilian Beier. The decision, made after a VAR review, left Köln with ten men for the remainder of the match.
Referee Daniel Siebert reviews a foul by Köln’s Jahmai Simpson-Pusey
“We had a bit of luck with the early chances, but we didn’t create enough after that,” said Köln’s Eric Martel after the match.
Kobel makes crucial save, Beier extends lead
Dortmund nearly doubled their advantage early in the second half, but Kobel was there to deny Jakub Kaminski with a brilliant save in the 56th minute.
Maximilian Beier then extended Dortmund’s lead in the 60th minute, completing a well-worked move with a clinical finish to make it 2-0.
Late goal from Kaminski, Köln appeal for penalty
Köln managed to pull one back in the 87th minute through Jakub Kaminski, but it proved to be too little, too late.
“We conceded from what felt like our first real chance of the second half,” said Maximilian Beier. “It got a bit uncomfortable towards the end with the stadium getting loud.”
Late in the match, Köln were denied a penalty after a handball in the Dortmund box, sparking protests from the home side. The referee waved play on after a quick review.
The defeat leaves Köln facing an uphill battle in the relegation fight, with just two points separating them from the drop zone. They will look to bounce back next Saturday with a trip to Hamburger SV (18:30 local time). Dortmund, meanwhile, will aim to solidify their Champions League qualification hopes when they host FC Augsburg on the same day (15:30 local time).
Our Sources:
- Bundesliga match between 1. FC Köln and Borussia Dortmund on March 7, 2026 (Live coverage on Sky)
Broadcast: WDR.de, “Dortmund secure win at Köln,” March 7, 2026, 20:47
