COLOGNE: Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich battled past hosts Cologne 3-1 on Wednesday to record the best first half of a season in the league’s history and maintain their 11-point lead at the top of the standings.

Bayern came from a goal down to earn their sixth league win in the last seven matches and moved up to 47 points with a goal difference of +53.

The previous best mark after 17 matches belonged to Pep Guardiola’s Bayern from the 2013/14 season, also with 47 points but a goal difference of +35. Their 66-goal haul at this stage is also a new league record.

The Bavarians, who host Union Saint Gilloise in the Champions League next week, have clear water between themselves and Borussia Dortmund in second place on 36 points.

“I did congratulate the lads but that will be gone by tomorrow and of absolutely no priority for me that we now have this record,” said Bayern coach Vincent Kompany, “We are in the middle of the season and have not won any title yet ... From tomorrow we start the second half and everything starts from zero.”

Cologne did not look at all intimidated by Bayern’s 8-1 demolition of VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday and took a fully deserved 41st-minute lead with Linton Maina’s spectacular 60-metre solo run and superb finish to beat keeper Manuel Neuer.

The visitors managed to level before the break when Serge Gnabry flicked the ball into the net off the crossbar from the tightest of angles in first-half stoppage time.

The hosts managed to keep Bayern away from their box for much of the second half but could do nothing when Hiroki Ito headed on a deep cross and Kim Min-jae nodded in for a 2-1 lead.

Teenager Lennart Karl, who came on as a second half substitute, made sure of the three points in the 84th minute when he slotted in from a Luis Diaz assist following a superb pass from Harry Kane for his fourth league goal of the season.

Willi Orban and Romulo scored as RB Leipzig reclaimed third spot with a 2-0 home with over Freiburg. Playing their first match of the calendar year after last weekend’s game was cancelled due to bad weather, Leipzig lacked rhythm in the opening half but grabbed control with two goals in three second-half minutes.

Captain Orban scored from a David Raum free-kick in the 53rd minute before Romulo headed in a close-range rebound.

Leipzig now sit four points behind Dortmund with a game in hand and host leaders Bayern on Saturday.

Hoffenheim’s continued their surprise turnaround after battling relegation last season, cruising past Borussia Moenchengladbach 5-1 at home to climb to fifth.

Andrej Kramaric hit a first-half hat-trick and Tim Lemperle and Max Moerstedt also got on the scoresheet, while Shuto Machino was the lone goalscorer for the visitors.

Earlier on Wednesday, Wolfsburg’s Dzenan Pejcinovic scored a late winner in a 2-1 home victory over St Pauli, his fifth goal in his past three league matches.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2026