1. FC Köln vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen made the trip to Cologne and returned with all three points, winning 1-2 at RheinEnergieStadion. The game was defined by Patrik Schick, whose composed brace gave the visitors a commanding lead that FC Köln never truly threatened to overturn. Schick opened the scoring in the 43rd minute, stepping up confidently to convert a penalty. He was at it again just seven minutes into the second half, finishing calmly after Nathan Tella threaded a sharp assist. Edmond Tapsoba picked up a yellow card for Leverkusen as early as the 10th minute, while Isak Bergmann Johanneson saw yellow for the hosts right before the break. Luca Waldschmidt gave Köln a lifeline in the 77th minute, but the visitors held firm and saw the game out. The result pushes Bayer Leverkusen closer to securing European football next season. For FC Köln, it snaps a five-game unbeaten run at a delicate point in the season — there is still work to do.