1. FC Köln and Borussia Mönchengladbach played to a 3-3 draw in the historic 100th Rhine Derby on March 21, 2026. The Bundesliga clash delivered an unprecedented opening sequence, with the teams combining for three goals within the first seven minutes of the match.
The shared points leave 1. FC Köln head coach Lukas Kwasniok winless in his last seven consecutive matches. The club currently sits two points above the relegation playoff spot. Borussia Mönchengladbach, managed by Eugen Polanski, maintains a three-point cushion over their local rivals in the lower half of the table.
Jens Castrop opened the scoring for Borussia Mönchengladbach 30 seconds after the opening whistle. 1. FC Köln responded rapidly with two consecutive goals. Saïd El Mala found the back of the net in the fourth minute, and Ragnar Ache gave Köln the lead in the seventh minute. Philipp Sander equalized for Gladbach in the 20th minute, bringing the score to 2-2 before halftime.
In the second half, Castrop secured his second goal of the match in the 60th minute to put Borussia Mönchengladbach ahead 3-2. Eric Martel scored the final equalizer for 1. FC Köln in the 84th minute. The draw adds another chapter to German sports history, marking the first time the Rhine Derby featured such a high-scoring opening seven minutes.
Two minutes after scoring the tying goal, Martel received a second yellow card in the 86th minute for a repeated foul. 1. FC Köln played the final moments of the match with ten men and held on for the 3-3 final score.