Nigeria international Anthony Ujah inspired FC Cologne to a deserved 2-1 win at Schalke on Saturday.
Ujah converted his sixth goal of the season in the opening minute of the second half and, even Leroy Sane strike late on was too little too late to avert a fifth defeat of the season for Roberto Di Matteo’s side after Matthias Lehmann had doubled the advantage for the Billy Goats.
The Gelsenkirchen hosts dominated the first half but failed to convert chances as a Max Meyer shot deflected off wide of target turned their closest sight at goal.
Ujah punished their bluntness within a minute of the restart, collecting a Benedikt Höwedes poor clearance on the edge of the box and smashed in past Ralf Fahrmann in goal for the Royal Blues.
Schalke struggled to get back in the game but chances had all of a sudden become costly before Höwedes brought down Pawel Olkowski in the box in the 67th minute. Lehmann stepped up to convert from the spot and double Cologne’s lead.
Sane’s 85th-minute strike proved a consolation as Peter Stöger’s men held on to three points to climb up to the top half of the standings, with SC Paderborn and second-placed Wolfsburg set for Sunday.
