Risse scores ‘saddest’ goal as Cologne face drop

BErlin: Marcel Risse gave bottom-side Cologne faint hope of avoiding relegation from the Bundesliga with the “saddest” equaliser of his career in a 2-2 draw at home to Schalke.

The dead-ball expert punched the air after his speculative freekick beat Schalke goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann on 84 minutes on Sunday.

Risse’s equaliser cancelled out Schalke’s early goals by Yevhen Konoplyanka and Breel Embolo before Leon Bittencourt pulled one back.

“That’s one of the saddest goals I have scored in my career,” Risse, 28, said.

“It’s a very emotional mood, because week after week, it’s becoming clearer that relegation is approaching.”

With just three games left, and Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich still to come, Cologne remain eight points from safety with only a mathematical chance of surviving after three seasons back in Germany’s top flight.

Several Cologne players shed tears after the final whistle.

The point rewarded the hosts for coming back from 2-0 down against second- placed Schalke, whose coach Domenico Tedesco slammed their performance.

“Our style was good in the first half, but you cannot play more arrogantly or handle the chances we had with more negligence,” he fumed after Schalke wasted several opportunities.

Earlier, Iceland international Alfred Finnbogason set up one goal and scored another as Augsburg ran out 2-0 winners over beat relegation-threatened Mainz.

Michael Gregoritsch got the opener before Finnbogason sealed the win that ended any doubt Augsburg would remain in the top flight for next season.

They are in the security of mid-table, while Mainz remain level on points with Freiburg, who occupy the relegation play- off berth with three games remaining.

Hamburg and Cologne sit in the bottom two and look set to drop down automatically into the second tier.