Just the Colors This Weekend

Newcastle United were out of the action this weekend due to it being a weekend for English FA Cup action so it was just a weekend (and a Saturday specifically) for Nurnberg and Oxford United. With Newcastle’s club colors being black and white, that left the clubs with colors (Nurnberg are red and black, Oxford are yellow and blue) in action.

FC Nurnberg vs. FC Cologne – With Newcastle not playing, I made it a point to find a live stream of Der Club’s match against Köln (Cologne to the English speaking world). I was rewarded too as Nurnberg looked much more lively than in last weekend’s match against Augsburg. They actually were attacking. If you can believe it, Der Club were also the first team to score. In the 28^th minute, Nurnberg got a corner, crossed the ball into the box which then bounced around in the crowd. The ball then came outside the box where a shot got taken (didn’t note who shot it) that deflected back to Esswein who ripped one pasts Köln’s keeper for the 1-0 lead.

Shortly after that goal, I lost my live stream and kept searching for another one through halftime and most of the second half. I got it back around the 60^th minute though, to see Nurnberg get a few close chances. The ball traveled a twice across the face of Köln’s goal. The 63^rd minute also brought a near chance as their keeper had to make a foot save to keep Der Club from getting a second goal. The 66^th minute though brought action on the other pitch with a fast break by Koln that seemed to catch Nurnberg’s defensive line off guard. Schaefer, Nurnberg’s keeper had to come out a bit to block Köln’s resulting shot which he did deflect, but not quite enough to keep it from rolling towards the goal. Schaefer made a final lunge to keep the ball from crossing the line, but alas it was a split second too late. He argued his case with the officials fervently (enough so that he picked up a yellow card), but the replays showed clear space between the line and the ball past it. The match was even at 1-1.

By then I had settled at a good live stream online, and was watching and hoping for a second Nurnberg goal. Der Club were in a 4-2-3-1 for the match, the popular German formation as of late, and it seemed to be working for them today. The lineup also seemed to be gelling better today too. With the better lineup and formation, Nurnberg would indeed get the go-ahead goal in the 85^th minute. They got a break into the Köln half and played a long cross to Tomas Pekhart who headed the ball into the bottom corner, off the post, and into goal. Not that Köln’s keeper could have done anything about the perfectly placed shot, but he seemed to not expect the header from Pekhart. I have no sympathy of course for the Köln keeper of course, because the Nurnberg would hold that 2-1 lead and take the 2-1 win.

That was a much needed win that Nurnberg needed to move up the table and away from relegation. Der Club now sit in 12^th spot, seven points away from relegation. There are only a dozen games left in the campaign, some against very tough competition, but if Nurnberg play as they today, they should be in fine shape to avoid relegation.

Oxford United vs. Bristol Rovers – This match unfortunately was a game of “what ifs” and “should have beens” for the Yellows. From reading reports and looking at the match tracker, they were a bit flat in the first half against Bristol, but very nearly had a goal before the break. The ball was past the Bristol keeper and heading towards the goal but was cleared by one of Bristol’s midfielders. That seems to have been the most excitement of the first half, with the teams only taking three shots each.

In the second half, Oxford worked their shooting boots a bit more, getting off nine shots, six of those being on goal. However, the Bristol keeper was able to keep them all out. The match would end a 0-0 draw. Oxford was the better side in the day, but you can’t win if you don’t get the ball past the opposing keeper and into goal.

The Yellows are still in 7^th place with the draw, but go down from three to two points above the 8^th spot (now held by Port Vale). They are also still eight points away from 6^th place. As I mentioned last week, the way the teams are falling in the standings, it will be much harder to move up in the standings compared to falling down, which could happen easily. The Yellows sit at 47 points in 7^th place. The 1^st through 6^th place teams in the standings are all between 59-55 points. Closer to the Yellows are the 8^th through 14^th teams, all between 45-40 points. If Oxford fall further, they’ll join a muddled mess of competition.

Tomorrow Oxford play Barnet in their make-up match from February 4^th. I’m hoping for a win, one that starts a winning streak and moves the Yellows upward.