Halle FC are edging ever closer to relegation from the third soccer league. The team from Halle lost their game at Viktoria Köln 2:4 (0:0) on Saturday, squandering a 2:0 lead in the process. Meris Skenderovic (48th minute) and Tunay Deniz (51st) had put the Red & Whites 2:0 ahead. However, Jeremias Lorch (56'), Luca Marseiler (74', handball penalty) and Tobias Anselm (78', 83'), who only came on as a substitute in the 69th minute, turned the game around in Cologne's favor. Halle thus remain winless under new coach Stefan Reisinger.
After their 19th defeat of the season, they remain five points clear of the drop zone. However, 16th-placed Arminia Bielefeld do not play their home game against Rot-Weiß Essen until Sunday and could pull away to eight points with five games remaining in the season if they win.
The two teams neutralized each other in the first half hour. Cologne had the first goal through Luca Marseiler (3rd). Halle also only had two attempts on goal before the break. Tunay Deniz's shot (25) went past the far post. The attempt by Dominic Baumann (44) was saved by Cologne goalkeeper Ben Voll.
The game picked up pace after the break. Skenderovic fired Halle into the lead and set up the second goal. Deniz deflected the midfielder's shot into the Cologne box with his heel to make it 2:0. However, Lorch scored the equalizer just five minutes later. After that, Halle's defense faltered. However, the hosts only managed to equalize thanks to a controversial handball penalty, which Marseiler converted. Joker Anselm sealed the defeat for the visitors with his brace.
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