10-men Köln lost 0-1 at home to the super dark horse Union Berlin during matchday 6 of the 2022/23 Bundesliga season at the RheinEnergie Stadion last night.

Union Berlin's Suriname international striker Sherardo Becker has been in ferocious goalscoring from recently. He has been successfully scoring goals to help the Die Eisernen break into Champions League places and got the club off to a fantastic start by causing an own-goal. Just a few minutes later, the visitors earned a penalty after Luca Killian was penalised with a handball. Unfortunately, Jordan Perfok's effort and was easily saved, but this did not dampen Union Berlin's determination to attack more frequently. Although Köln did made several dangerous attempts in the second half, the opponent's backline and goalkeeper were always able to save them in time. Christopher Trimmel's sumptuous cross hit the bar, nearly turning it into a wondergoal. Shortly before the end of the game, Köln's nightmare escalated when Killian was sent-off for a malicious foul and the already maligned hosts were thus reduced to 10 players, Eventually making Die Geißböcke's hopes of mounting a late comeback vanishes as they succumbed to a 0-1 loss. The results leave Köln 7th with 9 points and 1 ahead of Borussia Mönchengladbach with a better goal-difference, who also collected the same points; Union Berlin meanwhile temporarily surge to the top of the table with 14 points, ahead of the third-placed defending champions Bayern Munich with 2 points.

First Half

In the 4th minute, Jordan Perfok made a cross from the left. Sherardo Becker quickly followed up to get the ball and cut into the left side of the penalty area and then passes again, however the ball was deflected off Timo Hübers into his side's own net, leaving goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe had no time to react, as such Union Berlin got the match off to a fantastic start by breaking the deadlock with a surprising early 0-1 lead. It is also worth noting that this is Becker's 8th goal contribution this season.

In the 9th minute, Christopher Trimmel cross the ball into the box from a corner kick. Robin Knoche headed the ball and the ball hit Luca Killian's arm. The video assistant referee immediately intervened, and the match referee personally went to the sidelines to watch the VAR confirmed that Killian was indeed found to have handled the ball, so he awarded a penalty to Union Berlin on the spot, and also issued a yellow card to Killian. Jordan Perfok's right-footed effort was easily held on by Schwäbe who dived to the left. Die Eisernen missed the golden opportunity to expand their lead asa result.

In the 15th minute, Trimmel crossed into the box from the right and Becker who was unmarked volleyed the ball with his right foot from a difficult angle near the edge of the byline on the left. Although the ball was initially blocked by Schwäbe's outstreched leg, it still deflected into the upper left corner of the net, and the video assistant referee immediately intervened again. Under the inspection of VAR, Becker was correctly deemed to have been in an offside position, thus the goal was cancelled on the spot.

In the 25th minute, Trimmel cross into the box from the right, Jordan Perfok quickly followed up and headed the goal at a very close distance in front of the middle. The ball went slightly wide of the right post. In the 41st minute, Köln tried to make one of the most dangerous comeback. Florian Kainz's cross into the box from a corner was met by Kristian Pedersen's header, but the ball sailed slightly wide of the right post.

Second Half

In the 47th minute, Kainz made a through pass from the left, Linton Maina successfully picked up the ball and dribbled into the left side of box before shooting with his left foot, but the ball was quickly parried out for a corner by Lennart Grill.

In the 58th minute, Christopher Trimmel took a tactical free kick for Union Berlin. After Becker took over, he immediately had a one-two with the former, and when Trimmel received the latter's return pass, he cut into the left side of the box and then crossed with his right foot. The ball then hit the upper right crossbar and almost turned into a wondergoal. Köln escaped from being punished once again.

Subsequent attacks from both sides were effectively disintegrated by their opponents. Just when everyone thought that the game was about to end with a low, a crazy scene happened. In the 81st minute, when Andreas Schäfer was advancing with the ball near the midfield, he was brought down by Luca Killian maliciously who was tracking him down. The referee immediately gave the latter a red card, sending Killian off on the spot, and Die Geißböcke was forced to finish the game off with 10-men. Köln, who had one less player on the pitch, killed all the suspense of the game as a result. In the end, 10-men Köln lost 0-1 to Union Berlin and had their 5-game unbeaten record broken.