Match report

1. FC Köln Defeats Werder Bremen 3-1 in Bundesliga Clash

1. FC Köln
1. FC Köln
3–1
FT
Werder Bremen
Werder Bremen
Apr 12, 2026

1. FC Köln demonstrated their superior strength by defeating Werder Bremen 3-1 in a hard-fought Bundesliga match. S. El Mala opened the scoring with a penalty in the seventh minute, and despite Werder Bremen's early setback with a red card for M. Friedl, R. Ache extended Köln's lead to 2-0. Werder Bremen managed to pull one back through R. Schmid's penalty, but I. Johannesson sealed the victory for Köln in injury time.

Key Facts

  • • 1. FC Köln 3-1 Werder Bremen
  • • S. El Mala scored the first goal with a penalty in the 7th minute
  • • M. Friedl was shown a red card for Werder Bremen in the 24th minute
  • • R. Ache extended Köln's lead with a goal in the 65th minute
  • • R. Schmid scored a penalty for Werder Bremen in the 75th minute
  • • I. Johannesson secured the win for Köln in injury time

Lineups

1. FC Köln

Formation: 5-3-2

Starting XI

  • 1 Marvin Schwäbe (G)
  • 29 Jan Thielmann (D)
  • 28 Sebastian Sebulonsen (D)
  • 22 Jahmai Simpson-Pusey (D)
  • 39 Cenk Özkaçar (D)
  • 32 Kristoffer Lund (D)
  • 16 Jakub Kamiński (M)
  • 6 Eric Martel (M)
  • 18 Ísak Bergmann Jóhannesson (M)
  • 13 Said El Mala (F)
  • 9 Ragnar Ache (F)

Substitutes

  • 33 Rav van den Berg
  • 5 Tom Krauß
  • 8 Denis Huseinbašić
  • 7 Luca Waldschmidt
  • 27 Felipe Chávez
  • 37 Linton Maina
  • 30 Marius Bülter
  • 17 Alessio Castro-Montes
  • 20 Ron-Robert Zieler

Werder Bremen

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Starting XI

  • 30 Mio Backhaus (G)
  • 3 Yukinari Sugawara (D)
  • 5 Amos Pieper (D)
  • 32 Marco Friedl (D)
  • 2 Olivier Deman (D)
  • 14 Senne Lynen (M)
  • 10 Leonardo Bittencourt (M)
  • 17 Marco Grüll (M)
  • 20 Romano Schmid (M)
  • 27 Felix Agu (M)
  • 11 Justin Njinmah (F)

Substitutes

  • 25 Markus Kolke
  • 19 Jovan Milošević
  • 29 Salim Musah
  • 24 Patrice Čović
  • 33 Mick Schmetgens
  • 31 Karim Coulibaly
  • 23 Isaac Schmidt
  • 4 Niklas Stark
  • 7 Samuel Mbangula

Timeline

  1. 1. FC Köln
    7' 1. FC Köln Goal · Penalty
    S. El Mala
  2. Werder Bremen
    24' Werder Bremen Card · Red Card
    M. Friedl

    Foul

  3. Werder Bremen
    46' Werder Bremen subst · Substitution 1
    Off: Y. Sugawara · On: K. Coulibaly
  4. Werder Bremen
    46' Werder Bremen subst · Substitution 2
    Off: M. Grull · On: S. Musah
  5. 1. FC Köln
    47' 1. FC Köln Var · Goal Disallowed - offside
    A. Castro-Montes
  6. 1. FC Köln
    65' 1. FC Köln Goal · Normal Goal
    R. Ache
  7. 1. FC Köln
    67' 1. FC Köln subst · Substitution 2
    Off: J. Thielmann · On: M. Bulter
  8. 1. FC Köln
    67' 1. FC Köln subst · Substitution 3
    Off: S. El Mala · On: L. Maina
  9. 1. FC Köln
    71' 1. FC Köln Card · Yellow Card
    R. Ache

    Tripping

  10. Werder Bremen
    75' Werder Bremen Goal · Penalty
    R. Schmid
  11. 1. FC Köln
    76' 1. FC Köln subst · Substitution 4
    Off: R. Ache · On: L. Waldschmidt
  12. Werder Bremen
    78' Werder Bremen Card · Yellow Card
    L. Bittencourt

    Foul

  13. Werder Bremen
    78' Werder Bremen subst · Substitution 3
    Off: Felix Agu · On: I. Schmidt
  14. 1. FC Köln
    83' 1. FC Köln Card · Yellow Card
    J. Simpson-Pusey

    Foul

  15. Werder Bremen
    84' Werder Bremen subst · Substitution 4
    Off: L. Bittencourt · On: J. Milosevic
  16. 1. FC Köln
    86' 1. FC Köln subst · Substitution 5
    Off: S. Sebulonsen · On: T. Krauss
  17. 1. FC Köln
    90'+1 1. FC Köln Card · Yellow Card
    Eric Martel

    Foul

  18. 1. FC Köln
    90'+7 1. FC Köln Goal · Normal Goal
    I. Johannesson · Assist: L. Waldschmidt

Match Stats

Stat 1. FC Köln Werder Bremen
Fouls 15 7
Pass Accuracy 89% 81%
Offsides 3 3
Red Cards 0 1
Total Shots 25 6
Corners 8 5
Total Passes 491 343
Yellow Cards 3 2
Blocked Shots 11 1
Shots on Target 8 2
xG 3.40 0.92
Shots off Target 6 3
Possession 58% 42%
Goals Prevented 0 0
Accurate Passes 435 277
Shots Inside Box 16 2
Saves 1 6
Shots Outside Box 9 4

Key Match Notes

  • ▸ M. Friedl's early red card for Werder Bremen in the 24th minute shifted momentum to Köln, enabling them to dominate the game
  • ▸ The disallowed goal for Köln due to offside in the 47th minute didn't affect their eventual victory, as they continued to build their lead
  • ▸ I. Johannesson's goal in injury time secured Köln's victory, despite Werder Bremen's brief rally through R. Schmid's penalty