Bayer Leverkusen have taken another step towards a first Bundesliga title when they won 2-0 at 10-man Cologne to go 10 points clear at the top of the table and stretch their unbeaten run all season to 34 matches.
Cologne’s Jan Thielmann was sent off 14 minutes into the regional derby on Sunday for a reckless challenge against Granit Xhaka – and Leverkusen never looked back.
Jeremie Frimpong opened the scoring in the 37th minute and, though Leverkusen got lucky when Cologne’s Sargis Adamjan was denied by the post, Alejandro Grimaldo then wrapped up their 30th victory in the unbeaten run in the 73rd.
Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen increased their league lead to 10 points over defending champions Bayern Munich, who were held 2-2 at Freiburg on Friday night.
Leverkusen’s first Bundesliga title is becoming more and more likely, and they are also in the German Cup semi-finals, and in the Europa League last 16 where they visit Qarabag on Thursday.
But captain Jonathan Tah warned that “there are still 10 games left and we know what can happen.
“We are happy with the three points and will focus on the next game. We must stay focused so that things don’t get out of control,” Tah told streaming portal DAZN.
Looking at the match, he added: “We got a bit nervous when we were one man up. We did better in the second half and played the game confidently to the end.”
Thielmann was shown a straight red upon review for stepping onto the heel of Xhaka with no chance of reaching the ball.
Tempers flared a few more times between the Rhine area rivals before Leverkusen got the breakthrough in the 37th when Frimpong poked home a low ball from Patrik Schick for his eighth goal of the season.
The hosts tried to hit back and were almost awarded five minutes after the restart when Adamjan hit the far right post.
Chances were sparse from then on before Leverkusen put to the game to bed from Grimaldo’s ninth season goal, at the near post and deflected by defender Julian Chabot.
