Cologne pair Said El Mala and Thijs Dallinga kick off Bundesliga campaign in style

Said El Mala and Thijs Dallinga starred for Cologne as they kicked off their Bundesliga campaign with an entertaining opening-day clash against Hoffenheim. In the 72nd minute of the match, Cologne faced a 2-1 deficit after goals from Hoffenheim's Adam Daghim and Ozan Kabak overshadowed El Mala's earlier equalising goal.

Despite trailing late in the game and having already substituted their initial goalscoring threat, Cologne managed to turn the tide. The combined efforts of El Mala and Dallinga ultimately shaped the outcome of the fixture, highlighting a strong start to the season for the pair under difficult circumstances.