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Superb solo from El Mala gives Cologne win at Hoffenheim

October 03 2025 01:48 PM

Superb solo from El Mala gives Cologne win at Hoffenheim | iNFOnews.ca — Hoffenheim's Bernardo, left, and Köln's Jakub Kamiński battle for the ball during Bundesliga soccer match between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and 1. FC Köln, Friday, Oct. 3,2025, in Sinsheim, Germany. (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)

HOFFENHEIM, Germany (AP) — A super solo goal from Saïd El Mala gave Cologne a 1-0 win at Hoffenheim and lifted it into fourth place in the Bundesliga on Friday.

Lukas Kwasniok’s side started the season with two wins but hadn’t won in three until El Mala up front and Marvin Schwäbe in goal helped it to all three points at PreZero Arena.

With 16 minutes gone, El Mala picked up the ball just inside the Hoffenheim half and drove forward, beating three defenders before firing home a brilliant solo effort.

Kwasniok recalled the 19-year-old winger after he missed last week’s defeat at home to Stuttgart.

Schwäbe was in fine form at the other end as Cologne moved on to 10 points from six games.

For Hoffenheim, it was a fifth league defeat in a row at home. It has seven points from six games.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Superb solo from El Mala gives Cologne win at Hoffenheim | iNFOnews.ca — Koln’s Said El Mala celebrates after scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between Hoffenheim and Koln, at the PreZero Arena in Sinsheim, Germany, Friday Oct. 3, 2025. (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)

Superb solo from El Mala gives Cologne win at Hoffenheim | iNFOnews.ca — Hoffenheim’s Bazoumana Touré, left, and Koln’s Sebastian Sebulonsen fight for the ball during the Bundesliga soccer match between Hoffenheim and Koln, at the PreZero Arena in Sinsheim, Germany, Friday Oct. 3, 2025. (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)

Superb solo from El Mala gives Cologne win at Hoffenheim | iNFOnews.ca — Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramaric reacts during the Bundesliga soccer match between Hoffenheim and Koln, at the PreZero Arena in Sinsheim, Germany, Friday Oct. 3, 2025. (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)

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