In a disappointing turn of events for FC Köln, their young prospect Justin Diehl's appearance turned sour as he had to be substituted just moments after stepping onto the field in their Bundesliga clash against Bayer Leverkusen.
The German-born Ghanaian winger, who was brought on in the 65th minute of the game to inject some energy into Köln's attack, seemed eager to make an impact. However, his enthusiasm was short-lived as he pulled up clutching his right thigh while sprinting down the flank. The injury appeared to be severe enough to warrant an immediate substitution, leaving Diehl visibly frustrated as he limped off the pitch.
Replacing the injured Diehl in the 69th minute was Leart Paçarada, who was tasked with salvaging something from the game for the struggling FC Köln side. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, Köln couldn't find a way back into the match, succumbing to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen.
The match was already an uphill battle for Köln after Jan Thielmann received a red card in the 14th minute, leaving them with ten men for the majority of the game.
Leverkusen took advantage of the numerical superiority, with Jeremie Frimpong opening the scoring in the 37th minute with a close-range shot. Álex Grimaldo sealed the victory for Leverkusen in the 73rd minute, slotting home a well-placed shot assisted by Amine Adli.