A second-half goal from Ondrej Duda has helped Cologne salvage a 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt and enabled his side to celebrate their first point of what has so far been a miserable Bundesliga season for them.
At the same time, the draw denied Frankfurt the chance of joining Leipzig on 10 points at the top of the table.
Cologne had started with three straight defeats and looked headed for another loss when Andre Silva converted a penalty for the visitors in first-half injury time. Sebastiaan Bornauw was penalised through VAR for an apparent foul on Daichi Kamada.
Yet Duda equalised against the run of play in the 52nd minute, firing in from a central position after Kingsley Ehizibue picked him out with a precise cross.
Schalke also earned their first point this season, climbing off the bottom of the standings, but they failed to end their club record 20-game run without a win after a 1-1 draw with Union Berlin.
Hosts Schalke were grateful to goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow for keeping Union at bay until Christopher Trimmel crossed for Marvin Friedrich to head the opener in the 55th minute.
Schalke's Goncalo Paciencia came on a minute later and equalised in the 69th minute with a header at the near post after Omar Mascarell's corner. Union goalkeeper Andreas Luthe got his hand to the ball but couldn't keep it out.
"It feels like we've given away two points," Luthe groaned.
Australian Associated Press
