Berlin [Germany], April 13: Cologne eased their Bundesliga relegation fears on Sunday with a 3-1 home win over 10-man Werder Bremen, who remain three points above the danger zone.
VfB Stuttgart meanwhile moved above RB Leipzig into third place on goal difference with a 4-0 home romp over mid-table SV Hamburg. In the late game, Mainz take on Freiburg.
Cologne's victory was their first in nine matches and first under interim coach Rene Wagner after last weekend's 2-2 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt in his opening game in charge.
Saïd El Mala netted his first top-flight penalty for the Billy Goats early on after Olivier Deman fouled Jakub Kami?ski.
The Germany under-21 winger has 11 Bundesliga goals this season after a third in four games. "The three points have done wonders for the whole squad. We deserved it," the 19-year-old told DAZN. "We played the better game."
Things got worse for Bremen midway through the first half when skipper Marco Friedl was sent off for a professional foul and the visitors barely threatened thereafter. Cologne made it 2-0 through Ragnar Ache on 65 minutes but the striker later conceded a spot-kick which Romano Schmid converted. Ísak Johannesson secured Cologne's victory in stoppage time.
Bremen host Hamburg in a crucial northern derby next Saturday without their captain in an already injury-hit defence.
The home side leapfrogged fourth-bottom Bremen and now sit five points clear of the relegation play-off spot and nine above the automatic drop zone, occupied by Wolfsburg and Heidenheim.
Source: Qatar Tribune