Cologne beats Darmstadt 1-0 in Germany to climb off the bottom of the Bundesliga
Cologne's Davie Selke, left, and Cologne goalscorer Luca Waldschmidt celebrate the 0:2 goal during the Bundesliga soccer match between Cologne and Darmstadt in Darmstadt, Germany, Friday Dec. 1, 2023. Credit: AP/Uwe Anspach
BERLIN — Cologne moved off the bottom of the Bundesliga on Friday with a much-needed 1-0 win at Darmstadt.
Davie Selke got the goal that mattered early in the second half.
Selke wrong-footed the Darmstadt defense after 60 minutes and poked home a knock on from a corner.
Three times this season Cologne has been drawing 0-0 at halftime only to go on and lose the game, but Selke’s fourth goal of the season rewrote that grim script for the visitors.
Cologne also had a goal chalked off after a video review.
It was only Cologne's second league win of the season and lifted it immediately above Darmstadt and into 15th place in the 18-team division. Darmstadt also has nine points but trails Cologne on goal difference.
Union Berlin dropped to last place.
Cologne's Davie Selke, left, and Cologne goalscorer Luca Waldschmidt celebrate the 0:2 goal during the Bundesliga soccer match between Cologne and Darmstadt in Darmstadt, Germany, Friday Dec. 1, 2023. Credit: AP/Uwe Anspach