The Germany international has been through a frustrating time recently, getting a red card in the DFB-Pokal quarter-final against Augsburg and then being involved in an altercation with a journalist on Wednesday.

Yesterday's goal, coming as it did against the club with whom he spent three years mostly on the bench, could not have been more timely.

"It was such a relief," he said, before joking that he will "have the number (1425) tattooed" onto him.

"For me, it was just a matter of time before I scored again."

Yet it looked like it may be another frustrating day for the Germany striker when he hit the crossbar in the seventh minute.

"Let's hope that after such a performance he can start a series now," said his coach Zvonimir Soldo.

"I am delighted for him that this pressure has been lifted.

"It wasn't even clear until the morning of the game whether he could play at all."

Even opponent Bastian Schweinsteiger admitted to being pleased for his friend to find the back of the net again.

"I know I am not meant to say this, but I think it's fantastic that he has scored," said the Bayern and Germany midfielder.

What he didn't find so fantastic, however, was his own side's performance.

The draw means that they could lose top spot in the Bundesliga after just one week should Bayer Leverkusen beat Nurnberg today.

"We just did not play how we expected to," added Schweinsteiger.

"We made mistakes and just played badly. In the second half we had one chance after the other, but we did not deserve to take anything more.

"We knew that Cologne would build a wall and destroy our game and that is what they did, but given the quality that we have, we have still got to get three points here."