A brace from Patrik Schick fired Bayer Leverkusen to a 2-1 derby victory over 1. FC Cologne at the RheinEnergieStadion, extending their strong run at the venue and pushing Die Werkself into the Bundesliga’s top five.
Leverkusen, still feeling the effects of their midweek DFB-Pokal semi-final defeat to Bayern Munich, endured a shaky opening.
Cologne came out aggressively and should have capitalised early, with Said El Mala and Jakub Kaminski both going close after forcing turnovers high up the pitch.
El Mala later tested Janis Blaswich with a curling effort bound for the far corner, but the goalkeeper reacted sharply.
Despite their early dominance, Cologne’s wastefulness proved costly. A misplaced pass from Eric Martel was intercepted by Schick, whose effort struck the post.
Blaswich remained busy at the other end, denying multiple attempts, while El Mala squandered a golden chance after rounding the goalkeeper, only to hit the woodwork from a tight angle.
The breakthrough eventually came against the run of play. Martel was penalised for handball inside the box, and Schick stepped up to convert from the spot, squeezing his effort past Marvin Schwabe despite the keeper getting a touch.
Cologne resumed the second half with intent but continued to falter in front of goal. Linton Maina carved out another opportunity for El Mala, yet Blaswich stood firm again.
Moments later, Leverkusen punished them on the counterattack. Aleix Garcia picked out Nathan Tella on the flank, and his cross was turned in by Schick at the back post to double the lead.
Substitute Luca Waldschmidt pulled one back for the hosts after a lively run from El Mala unsettled the Leverkusen defence, sparking renewed belief among the home supporters.
However, Cologne could not find the cutting edge needed to complete the comeback, with Edmond Tapsoba producing a crucial late clearance to secure all three points.
The result extends Leverkusen’s unbeaten streak on the road, while Cologne, suffering their first defeat under Rene Wagner, remain five points above the relegation zone despite a poor recent head-to-head record in this fixture.
