Dortmund’s Terzic after ‘bitter’ collapse vs Cologne: We gave away the win

Borussia Dortmund missed a golden chance to go top of the Bundesliga on Saturday when it surrendered the lead in a “bitter” 3-2 defeat at Cologne.

Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham reacts disappointed after losing the German Bundesliga match between 1.FC Cologne and Borussia Dortmund in Cologne, Germany on Saturday. | Photo Credit: AP

Borussia Dortmund conceded two goals in three minutes and slumped to a 3-2 loss at Cologne on Saturday, missing its chance to go top of the Bundesliga table.

The visitor, who face Sevilla in the Champions League on Wednesday, was in complete control in the first half and squandered a bagful of chances through Donyell Malen and Karim Adeyemi before Julian Brandt slotted in for the lead in the 31st minute.

Dortmund eased off, however, after the break allowing Cologne too much space to come forward and score three times in the second half.

🎥 Highlights: Borussia Dortmund miss the chance to go top as @FCKoeln_en put in a rousing second-half performance to claim victory! 🐐 💪#Bundesliga | #MD8 | #KOEBVBpic.twitter.com/us9DzVnCrH

— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) October 1, 2022

“We were 1-0 up, allowed very little at the back and were well organised,” said Dortmund coach Edin Terzic. “We addressed that at halftime but after what felt like just eight seconds in the second half Cologne get their first corner.

“After every win you the media ask me about ambitions and after games such as today we have to step on the euphoria break once more because we gave away the win.”

Terzic’s Dortmund also has a major scoring problem, with former Cologne forward Anthony Modeste working hard but having no real chance against his former club.

Modeste, brought in at the start of the season to replace forward Sebastien Haller, out with testicular cancer, has scored just once in the league.

The host launched its comeback in the 53rd with Florian Kainz turning a cutback from Linton Maina into the Dortmund goal.

Before Dortmund had any time to recover Cologne struck again three minutes later with former Dortmund player Steffen Tigges beating Nico Schlotterbeck at the near post to score with a glancing header and turn the game around.

Florian Dietz hit the woodwork a little later as Cologne kept the pressure on, and the side got a third goal in the 71st when Dejan Ljubicic was given too much space by a struggling Dortmund backline and curled a superb shot into the far corner.

Dortmund teenager Tom Rothe threw his team a lifeline when his cross took a deflection off Cologne’s Benno Schmitz to land in the back of the net and set up a nervous finale, but Dortmund could not find an equaliser.

The result saw Dortmund drop to fourth place on 15 points, two behind leader Union Berlin, which lost 2-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt, and Freiburg, winner 2-1 over Mainz 05.

Champion Bayern Munich, who crushed Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 on Friday for its first win in five league games, is also on 15 in third place.