After a great start to the third division season, Viktoria Cologne are currently struggling. They lost to 1. FC Saarbrücken for the third time in a row.

Viktoria Köln can’t get a foot on the ground in the 3rd division at the moment. They also lost the catch-up game against 1. FC Saarbrücken – after 90 minutes the score was 2:5 (0:1).

For Viktoria, it was already the third bankruptcy in a row, after the team of coach Olaf Janßen had already lost against MSV Duisburg and the U23 of Borussia Dortmund.

It got off to a bad start against Saarbrücken too. After just three minutes, Amine Naifi scored from close range to give the visitors the lead. While Cologne couldn’t get anything together, Kasim Rabihic almost made it 2-0 after 14 minutes – but Viktoria keeper Ben Voll made a strong save from the former Essen player. Cologne were only still in the game at half-time because Kai Brünker also missed a great opportunity.

The same picture after the break. Saarbrücken scored again early on to silence Viktoria Cologne with a 2-0 lead. After a defensive error, Brünker ran alone towards the goal and put Voll under pressure with what looked like a preliminary decision.

Because nobody thought that Viktoria could come back after the performance they had shown so far. But after 55 minutes, there was hope again when André Becker scored a surprise goal to make it 2-1. 13 minutes later, that hope was gone again.

Although Voll saved a penalty from Rabihic, Naifi was first to the rebound to score his second of the evening. Now Victoria had no answer at the ready.

Nevertheless, the game continued. Luca Kerber scored shortly before the end to make it 4-1 to Saarbrücken. Luca de Meester reduced the deficit to 2-4, before Tim Civeja was able to make the final score 5-2 for Saarbrücken.

Consequence: Cologne has to look further and further down the table, the gap to the first relegation place is still eight points. The mood in Saarbrücken, on the other hand, is different.

They were able to confirm their victory at Waldhof Mannheim. With 38 points now, they are in eleventh place, although Saarbrücken still has a game in hand. If the FCS wins this game as well, they would already be in seventh place.

Viktoria Köln will play against SV Sandhausen on Saturday (February 24, 2:00 p.m.). Saarbrücken will play against Arminia Bielefeld on Sunday (4:30 p.m.).