Bayer Leverkusen benefitted from Bayern Munich's draw and established a 10-point lead atop the standings after moving 2-0 past 10-man Cologne at the curtain closer of the Bundesliga 24th round on Sunday.
Faride Alidou (L) of FC Cologne vies with Amine Adli of Bayer 04 Leverkusen during the first division of Bundesliga match between FC Cologne and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Cologne, Germany, March 3, 2024. (Photo by Joachim Bywaletz/Xinhua)
Leverkusen enjoyed a flying start into the Rhine derby as Jonas Hofmann unleashed a dangerous effort from the edge of the box in the fourth minute.
Cologne also came close in the 11th minute when Dejan Ljubicic headed over the target.
The Billy Goats suffered a heavy setback moments later, as Jan Thielmann saw a straight red card following a rude foul on Granit Xhaka on 14 minutes.
The visitors assumed full control, and just before the halftime, the front runners overcame Cologne's bulwark as Jeremie Frimpong made the most of Patrik Schick's good build-up work with 38 minutes gone.
Cologne grabbed a bright start into the second half and should have leveled the scores out of the blue, but Sargis Admayan's header from close range rattled only the woodwork in the 51st minute.
The Werkself destroyed all hopes of a comeback on 73 minutes when Amine Adli's assist allowed Grimaldo to beat Cologne goalkeeper Marvin Schabe from a tight angle.
With the result, front runners Leverkusen have extended its unbeaten run to 34 competitive matches whereas Cologne stay on the 16th position, which is a relegation playoff spot.
"I am very happy with the result. It wasn't easy or spectacular. In the end, the result is important for us, but we must move on. We were patient today and took advantage of our opportunities," commented Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso.
"It was an unlucky encounter for us. We created a golden chance before the dismissal. The team defended well over 90 minutes, but Leverkusen had no problems against 10 men," said Cologne coach Timo Schultz.
In the other match on Sunday, Maximilian Beier's first-half brace helped Hoffenheim edge stubborn Werder Bremen 2-1.
