BERLIN (AP) — Twenty-sixth time lucky.
Union Berlin forward David Datro Fofana finally scored his first Bundesliga goal on Tuesday to seal his team’s 2-0 win over relegation rival Cologne.
Fofana sank to knees after scoring with his 26th attempt at goal this season and covered his head as teammates jumped in to congratulate him under beer showers thrown by the Union fans behind.
Benedict Hollerbach had opened the scoring in the 56th, rifling the ball in from a narrow angle after going past a Cologne defender.
But Union also had goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow to thank for keeping the match scoreless as the visitors created better chances just before the break and again after it before Hollerbach scored his second goal of the season.
Kevin Volland set up both goals.
The game kicked off to an uncanny quiet as fans continued their protests against the German soccer league ’s plan to bring in an outside investor. The supporters stayed mostly quiet for the first 12 minutes — referring to their role as the proverbial 12th man on a soccer team — then announced their presence with a chant containing an expletive against the DFL, as the league is known.
Bundesliga leader Bayer Leverkusen was hosting Bochum and Bayern Munich playing at Wolfsburg later in their last games before the winter break.
Stuttgart was bidding to move to third place with a win over Augsburg. Also, Borussia Mönchengladbach was visiting Eintracht Frankfurt and Heidenheim was to play Freiburg.
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