After another effective performance 1. FC Köln claimed their first away win of the running season with a score of 3-1 (1-1) against FC Schalke 04. Yuya Osako equalised Klaas Jan Huntelaar's home lead before the guests snatched the victory thanks to goals by Anthony Modeste and Simon Zoller.

Milos Jojic started on the left wing in place of the injured Leonardo Bittencourt in Peter Stöger’s starting eleven.

Even start

Cologne's tactics were to control the game in midfield and stay solid defensively through the center. Schalke tried to attack over the flanks - particularly over their left-back Abdul Rahman Baba. It was an open match in which both sides needed some time to shoot on goal. However, neither Höwedes (21') nor Sorensen could test the keeper with their headers (26').

Osako's reply to Huntelaar's lead

Schalke had a promising opportunity when central midfielder Bentaleb's dangerous shot from the edge of the box was blocked in the nick of time (29'). The longer the half lasted the more the home side began to take control. They put permanent pressure on the FC defence. Bentaleb played a perfect through ball into the path of Huntelaar, who beat Horn in the 1v1 (36'). The lead was deserved but 1. FC Köln replied instantly. Jojic crossed the ball to the edge of the box, where Modeste laid it off to Osako. The Japanese striker hammered it emphatically into the back of the net to score his first of the current Bundesliga campaign (38'). With that, the two sides went into the break tied at 1-1.

Modeste takes the lead

The second half was shaped by two stable defences and 22 players who quarrelled over every inch on the pitch. At the hour mark Stöger brought on Kocka Rausch for Milos Jojic. Later on Stöger opted to bring on Simon Zoller for Höger, which meant Jonas Hector moved into central midfield. FC were more courageous now and tried to counterattack quickly. At first, Osako could not convert a great Zoller pass (76'), but a minute later Modeste made it better. The French striker received a perfect pass from Rausch and slotted it home from inside the box (77'). This was Cologne's 1,000th Bundesliga away goal.

Impressive Özcan

In minute 82 Salih Özcan was substituted in for Yuya Osako. The home-grown 18-year-old was the 500th player in the club's history to appear in an official match. It only took him 2 minutes to make an impact as he fought himself into the box and played a perfect pass to Zoller, who tapped the ball in from close range (84'). In added time Dominique Heintz cleared a Meyer finish off the line just before referee Hartmann blew the final whistle.

Next up: Leipzig

After this successful journey 1. FC Köln are determined to extend their strong run of 9 unbeaten Bundesliga matches against RB Leipzig at the RheinEnergieSTADION on Sunday, 25 September 2016 (17:30).

FC Schalke 04: Fährmann – Riether, Naldo, Höwedes, Baba – Bentaleb, Geis (72' Stambouli) – Schöpf (67' Konoplyanka), M. Meyer, Choupo-Moting – Huntelaar

1. FC Köln: Horn – Sorensen, Heintz, Mavraj, Hector – M. Lehmann, Höger (71' Zoller) – Risse, Jojic (61' Rausch) – Modeste, Osako (82' Özcan)

Goals: 1-0 Huntelaar (36', Bentaleb), 1-1 Osako (38', Modeste), 1-2 Modeste (77', Rausch), 1-3 Zoller (84', Özcan)

Yellow cards: Geis (68') | Jojic (33')

Referee: Robert Hartmann

Attendance: 60,876