Dotted around the RheinEnergieStadion was a curious spectacle on Friday night – an abundance of fans in flat caps. Such is the popularity of their charismatic coach Steffen Baumgart, the flat cap has become a crucial accessory on these terraces, which were packed with an increased 40,000 fans following the relaxation of the region’s COVID-19 regulations.
If Cologne’s ascent under Baumgart continues, the city’s milliners will have their work cut out to keep up with demand.
Since his arrival, Cologne have lost just once – a narrow 3-2 defeat at Bayern Munich – and their unbeaten run is gathering momentum.
Following this lively display against Greuther Fürth under the Friday night lights, it’s five games and counting. Next is a trip to Hoffenheim, and you wouldn’t bet against Baumgart’s men making it six.
Pre-game, the 49-year-old was under no illusions that Cologne should – and would – win. “We are the better team and I expect us to win,” he said, somewhat bullishly. “On paper, we have the better players.”
He’s right, they do, but tempting fate can be a fool’s game in this business. None of that matters to Baumgart, whose self-assertiveness could be mistaken for over-confidence. But it’s all part of the Baumgart brand, a man who says what he means and means what he says. Baumgart would have reminded his players of their superiority at halftime, when his team were 1-0 down and staring at defeat. Something needed to be said, and whatever words left Baumgart’s mouth at the interval certainly did the trick.
It must be said that Greuther Fürth will leave Cologne feeling a little aggrieved, despite the clear two-goal difference in the scoreline. The visitors seized the early advantage through Marco Meyerhofer’s neat finish and would have doubled their lead if not for an astonishing moment on 32 minutes, when Jeremy Dudziak struck the inside of the post, and when the ricochet came back to him at a tight angle, he lifted the ball onto the same post again. He won’t come closer to scoring his maiden Bundesliga goal.
That felt like a sea change and the slice of luck Cologne needed. They were a different side after the break, flooding forward in swashbuckling style at every opportunity. And within 10 minutes of the restart, they were ahead. Two scrappy finishes from Sebastian Andersson and then Ellyes Skhiri set them on the path to victory, with Skhiri capping a late breakaway with a scooped finish.
Greuther Fürth once again showed the grit and positivity that would suggest a first win in the top flight since May 2013 isn’t too far away. But here they met a Cologne team in full flight and riding a wave of optimism, led by the man in the hat that, judging by the chanting in the stadium at full-time, some Cologne fans wouldn’t mind seeing make a late run for German Chancellor. Free caps for all, vote Baumgart.
