Cologne suffer double striker injury blow ahead of crucial Bundesliga derby

Cologne have suffered a significant double injury blow after both Thijs Dallinga and Ragnar Ache were forced off during Saturday's international-break friendly against Viktoria Köln. The most serious concern surrounds Dallinga.

Cologne confirmed on Saturday evening that the 26-year-old suffered a cruciate-ligament injury and will consequently be sidelined for several months. Ache, meanwhile, sustained a muscular injury in his thigh and will also be unavailable for the time being.

The circumstances made an already difficult afternoon particularly cruel. Dallinga initially required treatment after hurting his knee during a penalty-area situation and ultimately had to be helped from the pitch.

Ache replaced him in the 35th minute. Approximately ten minutes later, Cologne's other established centre-forward was also struggling.

Ache remained in the dressing room at halftime after suffering his own injury, meaning the cathedral city side effectively lost both of their primary strikers within the space of ten minutes. Dallinga's promising Cologne start interrupted Dallinga only arrived in the Bundesliga ahead of this season on loan from Bologna.

His start could scarcely have been more encouraging. Dallinga scored twice on his league debut against Hoffenheim after coming off the bench.

The weeks that followed proved more difficult. Dallinga missed a penalty in the 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen and failed to convert another excellent opportunity in the defeat to Hamburg.

The Dutchman had nevertheless already established himself as a legitimate competitor for Ache's starting position. There also remained the possibility of head coach René Wagner using both centre-forwards together.

That option has now disappeared for the foreseeable future. Ache also sidelined at difficult time Ache's injury compounds the problem considerably.