Abort after six minutes
Fog prevents Cologne’s game at Slovacko
10/27/2022, 8:23 p.m
After two delays due to heavy fog, 1. FC Köln’s game in the European Conference League at 1. FC Slovacko is abandoned. Shortly after the kick-off, which was delayed by 75 minutes, the visibility deteriorated again so much that the referee stopped the game. Now it’s time to play on Friday.
1. FC Köln groped their way through the fog in vain, experienced the next memorable European Cup evening – and Steffen Baumgart was left with only gallows humor. “I’ve been in Cologne for a year and a half and I can write three books about it,” said the coach after the game was canceled in the Czech Republic.
The important conference league duel at 1. FC Slovacko had to be stopped after only six minutes of play due to heavy fog, and no goals had yet been scored. The rest of the season will be made up for on Friday at 1 p.m. (live on RTL+ and in the ntv.de live ticker).
“The demolition was correct,” said Baumgart: “I didn’t see anything, the players didn’t see anything.” This was preceded by a back and forth, initially the kick-off had been postponed by 75 minutes. The teams warmed up, had to go back to the dressing room, warmed up again – “at some point the risk of injury was too high,” said Baumgart. For a few minutes the view got a little better, the referee dared to kick off – but soon had to stop.
Cologne in the stress of deadlines
Cologne is currently third in Group D, and a draw on Friday would be enough to keep their chances of progressing ahead of the last game against OGC Nice on Thursday. The already tight schedule is now getting a little tighter: the Bundesliga game against TSG Hoffenheim is already on Sunday (7.30 p.m. / DAZN and in the ntv.de live ticker). “If a transfer were possible, that would be good, then we should tackle it,” said Baumgart in the evening: “But I assume that we will play on Sunday.” According to the current status, there are still 6 games in 16 days for the Cologne team until the winter break.
And the return to the European Cup after five years is a turbulent one for FC. The start in Nice (1:1) was overshadowed by serious riots before kick-off, and this game was also delayed. As a result, UEFA decided that Cologne could not sell away tickets for the games at Partizan Belgrade (0:2) and FC Slovacko.
In the Czech Republic, however, there were numerous fans on Thursday, they could also be heard through the fog – and showed gallows humor: “Free beer for everyone” they demanded in chants before kick-off. How many of them stayed on Friday was unclear.