The 1. FC Köln suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to VfB Stuttgart on matchday five of the Bundesliga.
Köln started the game with a dream start, taking the lead in the fourth minute. Ache found the unmarked Kaminski on the left flank and the forward fired a shot past Nübel that proved unstoppable. Ache himself had an opportunity to extend the lead just three minutes later, but his effort was deflected by the Stuttgart goalkeeper before being cleared off the line.
However, Stuttgart gradually gained a foothold in the match and their efforts were rewarded in the 28th minute. A foul by Schwäbe on Demirovic inside the penalty area resulted in a penalty, which Demirovic himself confidently converted to equalize.
The second half began with a promising attack from Stuttgart, with Tiago Tomas narrowly missing a goal with a flicked attempt following a corner in the 52nd minute. While Köln maintained a more proactive approach, their attacking efforts lacked precision. Stuttgart nearly took the lead through Tomas in the 70th minute, but his shot struck the crossbar.
Köln intensified their pursuit of a goal, but substitute El Mala’s effort from a promising position was thwarted by Nübel in the 77th minute and Kaminski’s header from a corner was cleared off the line by Mittelstädt. However, it was Stuttgart who ultimately found the decisive goal in the 81st minute. Stiller launched Vagnoman, who coolly slotted past Schwäbe.
Despite the setback, Köln continued to press for an equalizer, but they were unable to break down Stuttgart’s well-organized defense. Ultimately, Stuttgart secured a deserved victory, taking three points from the encounter against a competitive Köln side.