Leaders Bayern Munich come from behind to beat Cologne and move 11 points clear
Serge Gnabry, Minjae Kim and Lennart Karl were all on target as Bayern Munich recovered from a goal down to beat Cologne and move 11 points clear of Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga table.
Cologne 1-3 Bayern Munich
Goals: 1-0 Maina 41’, 1-1 Gnabry 45’+5 (assist: Olise), 1-2 Kim 71’ (assist: Ito), 1-3 Karl (assist: Díaz)
Vincent Kompany's side were not only looking to extend their remarkable 21-match unbeaten run against the Billy Goats, they were also hoping to set a new record at the halfway point of a Bundesliga campaign.
Only Pep Guardiola's 2013/14 side had ever picked up 47 points from their opening 17 matches, but Kompany's team have a fair superior goal difference this term.
Cologne were without a win in the league since beating Hamburg in early November, but the Billy Goats caused Bayern plenty of problems in the teams' DFB Cup second-round meeting earlier this season before eventually slipping to a 4-1 defeat.
Lukas Kwasniok's charges took the lead in that tie and almost did so again here, Saïd El Mala bursting clear before being denied by Manuel Neuer's outstretched leg in just the second minute.
Bayern soon settled and went close to breaking the deadlock themselves, first through Hiroki Ito - whose low shot was blocked by Marvin Schwäbe - and then through Michael Olise's low effort which was also comfortable held by the Cologne goalkeeper.
Cologne continued to threaten on the counter-attack, however, and were rewarded four minutes before the interval. Linton Maina won the ball deep inside his own half before embarking on a sensational solo run, right to the edge of the Bayern area. His strike from just inside the box was too powerful for Neuer, squirming through the goalkeeper's grasp and into the top corner.
Just as Cologne looked set to take a narrow lead into half-time, Bayern responded with a quite magnificent goal of their own. Gnabry showed tremendous skill to turn away from Jahmai Simpson-Pusey before appearing to deliberately strike the ball into the ground, sending it looping over Schwäbe and into the net from the tightest of angles.
Bayern were quick to gain a stranglehold on possession early in the second half, but Cologne continued to pose a threat. Jakub Kamiński thought he was through on goal after racing in behind the Bayern defence, only to be outpaced by the recovering Kim.
Kamiński then went close with a fierce volley, but it was another contribution by Kim - this time at the other end - that proved decisive. Luis Díaz's lofted ball towards the far post was headed back by Ito, leaving the South Korean defender with the simple task of nodding the ball past Schwäbe from close range.
The goal appeared to settle Bayern's nerves and second-half substitute Karl soon got in on the act, calmly rolling the ball into the far corner after fine work from Díaz to seal Bayern's 15th win from their 17 league matches so far.
Man of the Match: Minjae Kim
Kim delivered an exceptional all-round performance at the RheinEnergieSTADION, making a crucial intervention to deny Kamiński at one end before putting Bayern ahead for the first time at the other.
The defender was calm and composed on the ball too, recording the highest pass efficiency (1.96) of any player on the pitch while completing 88 percent of his attempted passes.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Köln 0.46 - Bayern 1.58
Fastest player: Luis Díaz (Bayern), 34.06 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-0 by Linton Maina (Cologne), 10 percent
Most pressed player: Michael Olise (Bayern), 37 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Minjae Kim (Bayern), +1.96
Fantasy Heroes: Luis Díaz (Bayern, 307 Points), Minjae Kim (Bayern, 307 Points), Hiroki Ito (Bayern, 256 Points)
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