👀 Penalty nicked? What happened between Waldschmidt & El Mala | OneFootball

Thanks to Luca Waldschmidt’s late penalty equalizer for the final 1-1, FC Cologne salvaged a point in the relegation showdown away at FC St. Pauli. 

Before that, a curious scene had unfolded on the pitch: penalty taker Said El Mala initially picked up the ball, but then handed it over to his teammate. 

What at first looked like Waldschmidt might have insisted on taking the spot kick himself, with the young Cologne player giving way, appeared to have been quite different. 

After the final whistle, Waldschmidt explained to ‘Sky’ that Said El Mala — originally designated to take the penalty — had already asked him in midfield during the VAR check whether he wanted to take it. 

So why did El Mala still pick up the ball again in the penalty area? According to teammate Waldschmidt, quite simply: “To create a bit of confusion.” 

Whether that “smart move” actually had any effect or not, letting Luca Waldschmidt take the penalty was, from Cologne’s and El Mala’s point of view, absolutely the right decision.

He scored the equalizer and secured the point for his team — one that, given the course of the match and the table situation, Cologne could live with better in the end than the home side from Hamburg. 

After the match, Cologne coach Wagner had plenty of praise for his two stars for their communication. He especially singled out El Mala. The fact that the youngster gave up the ball, he said, showed that the team is in a good place internally and that everyone is happy for one another. 

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

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