In the Middle Rhine Cup quarter-final, Fortuna Köln took an early lead against 1 FC Düren. However, a yellow card turned the tide.

The two Mittelrheinliga clubs TuS Blau-Weiß Königsdorf (3:0 at Borussia Freialdenhoven) and Bonner SC (2:1 n.V. against Eintracht Hohkeppel) as well as regional league leaders Alemannia Aachen, who beat third division side Viktoria Köln 2:0, had already booked their place in the Mittelrheinpokal semi-finals. It had also been decided that BSC would host Königsdorf in the Middle Rhine League clash. The only thing left to be decided was who would host Aachen at the Tivoli. After a 3:1 win at Fortuna Köln, it was clear that it would be 1. FC Düren.

It was initially Cologne who started somewhat more actively in their home stadium, but were unable to create any danger early on. At the other end, Simon Breuer tested Fortuna keeper André Weis for the first time (15th). It was not until the half-hour mark that Fortuna produced a highlight. Henri Matter’s shot was saved by Jannick Theißen in the Düren goal, but Leon Demaj pushed the rebound over the line – 1:0 for the hosts!

However, there was another upset before the break: A scuffle broke out after a tackle between Romeo Aigbekaen and Dominik Ernst, both of whom were shown a yellow card (38′) – and this was to have consequences for one of them.

Shortly after half-time, Ernst was too late against Düren’s substitute Vincent Geimer and was sent off with a yellow card (48′). Düren therefore had over 40 minutes in superior numbers to turn the game around

Aigbekaen initiates the turnaround

It was Aigbekaen, the man involved in Ernst’s first yellow card, who initiated the turnaround a little later. After a through pass from Simon Breuer, the attacker got to the ball in front of goalkeeper Weis and scored the equalizer (59′).

Cologne initially held out with ten men, but in the 78th minute, the time had come. Substitute Julijan Popovic scored from an acute angle to make it 2:1. Breuer, a native of Cologne who was still under contract with 1. FC Köln II until the winter, then made it all clear with his goal to make it 3:1 (84′).

This means that the Middle Rhine Cup semi-final at the Tivoli between March 19 and 21 will not only be a regional league clash, but also a derby. The two clubs’ stadiums are only around 30 kilometers apart