FC Koln aim to carry their Bundesliga 2 form into the DFB-Pokal when they host capital club Hertha Berlin in Wednesday's round of 16 match at RheinEnergieStadion.
The home side, who beat Bundesliga debutants Holstein Kiel in the second round, are undefeated in five heading into the midweek clash against an opponent in indifferent form, as evidenced by two losses in four.
Match preview
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Despite the disappointment of failing to beat 10-man Hannover at the weekend, Koln extended their undefeated sequence of results under Gerhard Struber, standing them in good stead ahead of Wednesday's Pokal match.
The ongoing five-match sequence started with a cup win over Holstein Kiel, a 3-0 second-round triumph to end a two-match losing run.
Having defeated a top-flight club last time out, Koln now seek a victory against a second-tier club to advance to the competition's last eight for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign.
The Billy Goats already defeated Hertha in Berlin at the start of November and aim for back-to-back triumphs over the capital club this term.
With only one defeat against their visitors in the last eight (four wins), the home side seek their fifth in nine matches and third on the trot.
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Struber's men have reason for optimism given the Old Lady's recent indifferent results: Cristian Fiel's side have secured one victory in their last four matches, a 3-1 Bundesliga 2 success over Magdeburg to close out November, losing to Wednesday's opponents (0-1) and Darmstadt (1-3) before twice losing leads against Ulm at 1-0 and 2-1 to draw 2-2.
Hertha's ongoing results have followed a Pokal win over Bundesliga club Heidenheim (2-1), a cup result that marked the club's third consecutive victory in all competitions to extend their undefeated run to four.
Although the next four matches have seen a marginal dip in results, Die Alte Dame hope to notch an encouraging result in North Rhine-Westphalia to secure consecutive quarter-final appearances in the Pokal, having reached that stage last term.
However, they must improve on an underwhelming sequence of results against Koln after failing to beat their opponents in two years since a 2-0 home success in November 2022.
That win ended a three-year wait for success against the Billy Goats, and Fiel hopes his players raise their performance level to end a losing run against the Cologne outfit.
Team News
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Jacob Christensen is Koln's only reported absentee, with a severe knee injury ruling out the Danish midfielder for the foreseeable future.
Although Tim Lemperle (seven goals) and Damion Downs (six) lead the Billy Goats' goalscoring charts in the second tier, Luca Waldschmidt's brace was pivotal to beating Kiel in the previous round, and the midfield man aims to play a leading role if the top-scoring frontmen fire blanks.
Pascal Klemens will be assessed for Hertha after his late substitution in the capital club's recent win at Magdeburg. However, Marten Winkler (muscle) and John Brooks (ankle) are not anticipated to play any part for Fiel's men.
Florian Niederlechner, who scored at the weekend, has two goals in the Pokal and aims to add to his growing tally for the away side.
FC Koln possible starting lineup:
Schwabe; Pauli, Hubers, Heintz; Ljubicic, Martel, Huseinbasic, Paqarada; Waldschmidt; Lemperle, Downs
Hertha Berlin possible starting lineup:
Ernst; Kenny, Leistner, Dardai, Zeefuik; Cuisance, Demme, Sessa, Scherhant; Niederlechner, Maza
We say: FC Koln 2-1 Hertha Berlin
Despite Koln's ongoing form and commendable run against Wednesday's opponents, Struber's team must be wary of Hertha's encouraging away record this term — four wins, two draws and one defeat.
Regardless, the Billy Goats should back themselves for a marginal victory on home turf to inflict the Berlin club's third loss in five and extend their winning run over the visiting side.
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