Silva netted his third league goal of the campaign in first-half stoppage time, but Ondrej Duda equalised seven minutes into the second half to earn Köln their first point of 2020/21.
Personnel: Eagles unchanged
Head coach Adi Hütter kept faith with the side that came from behind to beat Hoffenheim before the international break. Steven Zuber continued on the left in Filip Kostic’s absence, while recent signings Amin Younes and Ajdin Hrustic were among the substitutes once again.
First half: Silva continues scoring run
Playing on the front foot from the outset, Hütter’s charges went close to breaking the deadlock when Sebastian Rode released Silva after winning possession high up the field, but the striker dragged his shot just wide. The Eagles continued to dominate possession as the half wore on, but they struggled to test Köln goalkeeper Timo Horn as the game descended into a physical battle.
Silva drilled a powerful shot straight at the Billy Goats’ custodian shortly before the half-hour mark, but the Portugal international was presented with a golden opportunity to give the Eagles the lead in first-half stoppage time when Daichi Kamada was felled in the area by Sebastiaan Bornauw. The 24-year-old kept his composure from the spot, firing low into the bottom right corner to put Eintracht ahead.
Second half: Duda salvages point for Köln
There was no let-up for the hosts at the start of the second half, with Kamada blazing over the crossbar from a good position within minutes of the restart. That miss proved costly, however, as the unmarked Duda latched onto Kingsley Ehizibue’s precise cross to fire Köln level against the run of play.
It could have got worse for Eintracht ten minutes later when Duda connected with Ismail Jakobs’ delivery, but Kevin Trapp produced a stunning save to tip the Slovakian’s header over the crossbar. Bas Dost shot straight at Horn and second-half substitute Younes had another effort deflected wide as the Eagles looked to regain the initiative in the closing stages, but there was to be no late twist.
Summary: Onwards and upwards
The draw extends Eintracht’s unbeaten start to their Bundesliga campaign, but Hütter will feel his team did enough to merit all three points at the RheinEnergieSTADION. Victory in Cologne would have given the Eagles a timely confidence boost ahead of next week’s trip to Bayern Munich, but eight points from a possible 12 is a satisfactory return from a tough start to the season.
SGE line-up
Trapp - Abraham, Hasebe, Hinteregger - Touré, Ilsanker, Rode, Zuber (Younes 69’) - Kamada - Dost, Silva (Barkok 86’)
Goals
0-1 Silva (45+2’ pen)
1-1 Duda (52’)
