After watching Brentford finally claw its way into England’s top flight for the first time in 74 years, you could be excused for sticking around to see the trophy presentation. However, if you did so, you missed a barnstorming start to the other major playoff taking place on Saturday, as four goals were scored in the opening 13 minutes of the Bundesliga promotion/relegation playoff second leg.
When the dust had settled, FC Cologne had ensured it would stay in the Bundesliga, winning 5-1 for a comeback 5-2 aggregate victory in Kiel.
Despite knocking out Bayern Munich on the way to the DFB Pokal semifinals, Kiel finished two points out of the automatic promotion spots. The Storks won the first leg of the playoff 1-0 but were blitzed early in the second leg by Cologne, led by the veteran leadership of Jonas Hector.
Hector opened the scoring less than three minutes in with a well-placed header. Lee Jae-sung responded with a header of his own a minute later after Timo Horn denied Finn Porath’s initial effort, and Kiel was back on top on aggregate.
Cologne wasn’t done with its early goal barrage. Sebastian Andersson scored in the sixth and 13th minutes to all but clinch an aggregate victory. The Billy Goats’ first three goals all came off crosses from the left wing before Rafael Czichos, a center back, hit a stunning volley for the game’s best goal in the 39th minute, making it 4-1 at the break (4-2 on aggregate).
Bundesliga Promotion/Relegation Playoff Highlights
With Kiel needing three second-half goals (away goals count in this playoff), Cologne was able to tighten up defensively to maintain its place in the Bundesliga. The win was capped by Ellyes Skhiri finishing a fine move off a throw-in in the 84th minute. If not for the heroics of Kiel keeper Joannis Gelios, Cologne would have stretched its lead further; Gelios finished the day with six saves, including a few one-on-one denials.
WE ARE STAYING UP!
GET IN THERE!JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
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1:5 (2:5) #KSVKOE #effzeh pic.twitter.com/avimqFvBCm— 1. FC Cologne (@fckoeln_en) May 29, 2021
With Cologne staying up, the only two relegated sides in the Bundesliga this season will be Matthew Hoppe’s Schalke and Josh Sargent’s Werder Bremen. They’ll be replaced by 2. Bundesliga champion VfL Bochum and runner-up SpVgg Greuther Fürth, which includes Americans Julian Green and Timothy Tillman. So it’s an even net of Americans joining and leaving the Bundesliga, though Sargent is expected to find a new club before next season.
