Malek El-Mala earns Cologne a draw with debut goal — Der Spiegel

In Berlin, Germany, Union and Cologne drew 1:1 in a Bundesliga match. Cologne debutant Malek El-Mala, who came on as a substitute in the second half, scored in the 79th minute to level the score. As Der Spiegel reports, the 21-year-old scored seven minutes after entering the pitch.

Goal after coming on as a substitute

The Berlin side opened the scoring as early as the 10th minute: Yannick Haberer finished Tim Skarke’s pass from close range. Before the break, Cologne did not register a single shot on target, while Union had two. The hosts’ most dangerous chance before halftime was created by Livan Burcu, but Cologne goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe tipped his shot onto the crossbar.

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After the break, the game largely consisted of tough duels and fouls. Late in the match, Malek El-Mala scored after a short corner routine. He played alongside his younger brother, Said El-Mala. According to the publication, this is Cologne’s first pair of brothers in the Bundesliga squad in 40 years, after Klaus and Thomas Allofs.

Run without away wins

The draw allowed Cologne to extend their unbeaten run to three official matches. At the same time, the club has now gone 17 Bundesliga matches without an away win. Cologne’s last away victory came on October 3, 2025, when they beat Hoffenheim 1:0. Union, after a 0:5 defeat to Cologne in the German Cup, remain in the lower part of the standings.