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Bayern Munich kept Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga title celebrations on hold for at least one more day as the defending champions earned victory over relegation-threatened Cologne.
England captain Harry Kane and Mathys Tel both hit the post in a frustrating first half for Bayern, who needed one point to avoid conceding the title.
But goals from Raphael Guerreiro and Thomas Muller sealed victory.
The win leaves Bayern 13 points behind Bayer Leverkusen with five games to go.
It means Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten leaders, having played one game less, will be crowned German champions for the first time with victory over Werder Bremen on Sunday (16:30 BST).
Bayern have won 11 successive top-flight titles since Borussia Dortmund’s triumph in 2011-12.
Despite 32 goals in 29 league games for England captain Kane – unable to add to his tally here by the smallest of margins – the club’s hold on the trophy looks set to end imminently.
Guerreiro fired in from 25 yards following Joshua Kimmich’s corner to the edge of the box in the 65th minute, before Muller added a late second in stoppage time as Thomas Tuchel’s side overcame strugglers Cologne, who sit second from bottom.
Leverkusen, in the relegation zone when Alonso took over in October 2022, remain on course for a remarkable treble this season, having set up a German Cup final against second-tier side Kaiserslautern and winning the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final against West Ham 2-0 on Thursday.
They will set a new Bundesliga record for most games unbeaten (29) from the start of a season if they avoid defeat against Werder.
Line-ups
Bayern Munich
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 26Ulreich
- 6Kimmich
- 4de LigtSubstituted forUpamecanoat 61′minutes
- 15Dier
- 40MazraouiSubstituted forDaviesat 62′minutes
- 45PavlovicSubstituted forGoretzkaat 79′minutes
- 22GuerreiroSubstituted forLaimerat 79′minutes
- 11ComanSubstituted forMusialaat 50′minutes
- 25Müller
- 39Tel
- 9Kane
Substitutes
- 2Upamecano
- 3Kim Min-jae
- 8Goretzka
- 13Choupo-Moting
- 17Zaragoza
- 18Peretz
- 19Davies
- 27Laimer
- 42Musiala
Köln
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Schwäbe
- 29ThielmannSubstituted forHeintzat 76′minutes
- 4Hübers
- 24Chabot
- 35Finkgrafe
- 40AlidouSubstituted forDownsat 76′minutes
- 7Ljubicic
- 22ChristensenBooked at 5mins
- 11KainzSubstituted forWaldschmidtat 54′minutes
- 23AdamyanBooked at 36minsSubstituted forTiggesat 67′minutes
- 37MainaBooked at 30minsSubstituted forSchmitzat 67′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Schmitz
- 3Heintz
- 9Waldschmidt
- 17Paqarada
- 18Carstensen
- 20Pentke
- 21Tigges
- 42Downs
- 44Köbbing
- Referee:
- Frank Willenborg
- Attendance:
- 75,000
Live Text
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Match ends, FC Bayern München 2, 1. FC Köln 0.
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Second Half ends, FC Bayern München 2, 1. FC Köln 0.
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Thomas Müller (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Dominique Heintz (1. FC Köln).
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Goal! FC Bayern München 2, 1. FC Köln 0. Thomas Müller (FC Bayern München) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
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Offside, FC Bayern München. Konrad Laimer is caught offside.
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Attempt blocked. Jeff Chabot (1. FC Köln) header from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Corner, 1. FC Köln. Conceded by Joshua Kimmich.
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Corner, 1. FC Köln. Conceded by Sven Ulreich.
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Attempt saved. Steffen Tigges (1. FC Köln) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
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Attempt blocked. Luca Waldschmidt (1. FC Köln) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Corner, 1. FC Köln. Conceded by Alphonso Davies.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match because of an injury Dejan Ljubicic (1. FC Köln).
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Mathys Tel (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Dejan Ljubicic (1. FC Köln).
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Attempt missed. Mathys Tel (FC Bayern München) right footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Thomas Müller following a fast break.
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Konrad Laimer (FC Bayern München) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Steffen Tigges (1. FC Köln).
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Substitution, FC Bayern München. Leon Goretzka replaces Aleksandar Pavlovic.
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