Bayer Leverkusen showcased their dominance by securing a crucial victory against 10-man Cologne, consequently widening the gap to 10 points at the league’s summit.
This performance came in the wake of defending champions Bayern Munich being held to a 2-2 draw by Freiburg on the preceding Friday, creating an opportune moment for Xabi Alonso’s side to strengthen their position.
The pivotal moment in the game occurred when Cologne’s Jan Thielmann received a straight red card for a foul on Granit Xhaka, granting Leverkusen a numerical advantage.
Leverkusen capitalized on this situation, with Jeremie Frimpong breaking the deadlock by opening the scoring. The momentum continued in the second half as Alex Grimaldo’s low strike secured a 2-0 lead for Leverkusen.