Fortuna Cologne had no trouble with Wuppertaler SV, while Borussia Mönchengladbach II won away at Fortuna Düsseldorf II.
Fortuna Cologne kicked off Matchday 18 of the Regionalliga West with a comfortable 3-0 home win over Wuppertaler SV, taking the lead into 2026.
In an uneventful first half, it was Kevin Brechmann who put the home team on the path to victory with a long-range shot shortly before halftime. Eighteen-year-old Fotios Adamidis, who surprisingly started in goal in place of Michael Luyambula, was powerless to stop it.
Cologne continued to push for more after the break, but their play was mostly lacking in conviction. Their crosses were rarely on target. It wasn’t until the final quarter-hour that the league leaders pulled away: Enzo Wirtz scored his 11th goal of the season from just under 16 meters to make it 2–0, and David Haider finally sealed the 3–0 final score after a cross from substitute Jonas Michelbrink.
Fortuna Cologne now sits atop the standings with 37 points, though Schalke II (33 points), Rot-Weiß Oberhausen (33), and FC Gütersloh (32)—who face off on Saturday—have each played one fewer game.
Fortuna Cologne: Winkler – Afamefuna (84. Derbali), Fünger, Haider, Garcia, Geerkens, Strauch, Thier (77. Michelbrink), Garcia (77. Stanilewicz), Bornemann (62. Al Ghaddioui), Brechmann (84. Statovci), Wirtz
Wuppertaler SV: Adamidis – Nishimura, Hartmann, Bielitza, Miyamoto – Rebronja, Müller (69. Arabaci), Aydogan, Bouzraa, Oostwoud (59. Wagemann), Kamo (59. Kleiner)
Goals: 1:0 Brechmann (43.), 2:0 Wirtz (76.), 3:0 Haider (80.)
Fortuna Düsseldorf II – Borussia Mönchengladbach II 1:3 (1:3)
Borussia Mönchengladbach’s reserve team won 3:1 (3:1) at Fortuna Düsseldorf II thanks to a lightning-fast start.
Lion Schweers (1st) off a corner kick, Fritz Fleck (7th) following a Düsseldorf mistake, and Kilian Sauck (11th) with a curling shot ensured that the young Foals were already leading 3:0 after just under a quarter of an hour.
Hamza Anhari did score an early goal to cut the lead (27th min.), but it had little impact at first. Fortuna worked toward a second goal in the second half, but lacked the necessary intensity. Just past the hour mark, Deniz Bindermann had the best chance when he stepped up to take a penalty kick for a handball—but the outstanding Maximilian Neutgens made the save.
The score remained 1–3, leaving Düsseldorf stuck near the bottom of the table. Gladbach, on the other hand, stays in contention at the top.
Fortuna Düsseldorf II: Czako – Vu (86. Zentler), Brodersen, Egouli, Mirgartz (86. Tönnies), Latza, Savic (34. Nikolaou), Affo, Bindemann (71. Garlipp), Anhari, Quiala Tito
Borussia Mönchengladbach II: Neutgens – Dasbach, Schweers (J.K. Uwakhonye), J. L. Uwakhonye, Cirpan, Fleck, Sauck (70. Berko), Stange, Vidic, Adozi, Michaelis
The other matches of Matchday 18 in the Regionalliga West
FC Gütersloh vs. Rot-Weiß Oberhausen (Saturday, 2:00 p.m.)
FC Schalke 04 II vs. SC Wiedenbrück
SV Rödinghausen vs. Sportfreunde Siegen
1. FC Köln II vs. 1. FC Bocholt
Borussia Dortmund II vs. SC Paderborn II (4:00 p.m.)
Bonner SC vs. VfL Bochum II (Sunday, 2:00 p.m.)