Pro Sports

Cologne, Bremen's wait for 1st Bundesliga win continues

Posted October 22, 2017 7:00 am

By CIARAN FAHEY

Cologne's Leonardo Bittencourt, right, and Bremen's Theodor Gebre Selassie challenge for the ball during a German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Cologne and SV Werder Bremen, in Cologne, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) - Cologne and Werder Bremen played out a goalless draw that left both sides still searching for their first win after nine rounds of the Bundesliga on Sunday.

"We have to get back on track sometime," Bremen coach Alexander Nouri said.

Cologne's need was greater after seven defeats, but the home side - already without injured players Jonas Hector, Nikolas Nartey, Marcel, Marco Hoeger and captain Matthias Lehmann - was dealt a further blow when Claudio Pizarro suffered a thigh strain in the warm-up. The Peruvian forward, one of Cologne's outstanding performers in the previous loss to Stuttgart, was unable to play against his former club.

The first half showed why both teams are bottom of the Bundesliga. Despite plenty of commitment and a clear will to somehow drag their sides out of their predicament, neither had the spark to force a breakthrough.

Sehrou Guirassy missed an open goal from close range late on for Cologne, before Konstantin Rausch cleared off the line at the other end in injury time.

PENALTY POINT

Salomon Kalou missed a penalty then scored another for Hertha Berlin to salvage a 1-1 draw at Freiburg.

Janik Haberer put the home side ahead with another penalty early in the second half before Kalou blazed his first effort over in the 77th.

The Ivory Coast forward was given a second chance two minutes later when the video referee adjudged that Nicolas Hoefler brought Davie Selke down, though TV replays showed minimal contact as the Hertha forward fell spectacularly.

Kalou stepped up again and made no mistake this time to earn his side a point.

SCHMIDT'S FIVE DRAWS

Felix Uduokhai scored in injury time to earn Wolfsburg a 1-1 draw against visiting Hoffenheim.

A late penalty from Kerem Demirbay looked to be enough for Hoffenheim, but Uduokhai rose above three defenders to head Daniel Didavi's corner in for the equalizer.

It was the fifth consecutive draw for Wolfsburg in Martin Schmidt's fifth game in charge, a feat only previously achieved by Joerg Berger, who started at Cologne with five draws in 1991.

Cologne's Yuya Osako reacts to a missed chance during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Cologne and SV Werder Bremen in Cologne, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Hoffenheim head coach Julian Nagelsmann follows the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and 1899 Hoffenheim in the Volkswagen Arena in Wolfsburg, Germany, Sunday Oct. 22, 2017. (Peter Steffen/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Wolfsburg's Paul Verhaegh, left, and Hoffenheim's Sandro Wagner vying for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and 1899 Hoffenheim in the Volkswagen Arena in Wolfsburg, Germany, Sunday Oct. 22, 2017. (Peter Steffen/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Berlin's Mathew Leckie, right, and Freiburg's Nicolas Hoefler in action during their German Bundesliga soccer match in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday Oct. 22, 2017. (Patrick Seeger/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Berlin players talk with referee Guido Winkmann after he called a penalty shot during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Hertha BSC in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday Oct. 22, 2017. (Patrick Seeger/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Berlins Rune Almenning Jarstein, left, catches teh ball under pressure from Freiburg's Caglar Soeyuencue, during their German Bundesliga soccer match in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday Oct. 22, 2017. (Patrick Seeger/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Cologne's Dominique Heintz, front, and Bremen's Zlatko Junuzovic, center, and Cologne's Pawel Olkowski challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Cologne and SV Weder Bremen in Cologne, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

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