Darmstadt hold Cologne to goalless draw in Bundesliga

Darmstadt (Germany), Nov 28: Newly promoted Darmstadt held Cologne to a goalless draw in the opener of the 14th round of the Bundesliga football league here.

Darmstadt were still left searching for their first win since five games whereas Cologne reaped their second draw in a row following an unspectacular goalless stalemate on Friday, Xinhua reported.

The hosts dictated the pace in the opening period yet Jan Rosenthal failed to make use of a promising chance in the eighth minute. As the match progressed, Cologne gained a foothold in the game but neither Marcel Risse nor Matthias Lehmann were able to overcome Darmstadt goalkeeper Christian Mathenia.

Darmstadt defended deep and kept Cologne at a distance but nevertheless the "Lilien" remained dangerous in counter attacks. Darmstadt's Rosenthal headed over the bar before Cologne's Matthias Lehmann blocked Jerome Gondorf's clear-cut opportunity for the hosts.

After the restart, Cologne controlled the proceedings but failed to make the most of their chances. As a consequence, Cologne recorded their fifth draw of the season to climb to the eighth place whereas Darmstadt are in the 14th place for the moment.