Bayer Leverkusen climbed to fourth in the Bundesliga with five games of the season to go thanks to a 2-0 win over Cologne in a Rhine derby.
Julian Brandt gave the visitors the lead five minutes before the interval, scoring for the third game in a row from Karim Bellarabi's cross.
Bellarabi was the provider again for Javier Hernandez to score Leverkusen's second just before half-time, beating Timo Horn from close range.
Stefan Kiessling was denied a third before Hakan Calhanoglu's free-kick hit the post, then the referee brandished red cards to both Leonardo Bittencourt and Wendell as the derby reached a fiery conclusion.
Leverkusen close to within a point of third-placed Hertha Berlin and put some daylight between themselves and the chasing pack in the race for a place in the Champions League next season.
ends