Bayern beat Cologne to move 11 points clear, Hearts bolster title bid

Bayern Munich came from a goal down to win 3-1 at Cologne on Wednesday and restore their 11-point lead atop the Bundesliga table.

Bayern were behind after Linton Maina scored on the counter, but roared back thanks to goals from Serge Gnabry, Kim Min-jae and Lennart Karl.

Bayern's 11-point gap over second-placed Borussia Dortmund at the halfway point of the season equalled the biggest lead in league history.

Their points tally of 47 is also the equal best while Vincent Kompany's side have also set a new goalscoring record with 65.

"The record feels good," Gnabry told Germany's RTL. "That was an important win against a tough opponent."

Cologne last beat the Bavarians in 2011, a run of 17 losses in 19 games in all competitions.

Ruthless in an 8-1 demolition of Wolfsburg on Sunday, Bayern looked to have run out of steam in a first half hit with a 10-minute interruption due to smoke from flares.

Cologne took a surprise lead just before halftime.

Pouncing when Gnabry lost possession near his own penalty area, the hosts advanced goalwards before Maina unleashed a powerful shot which Manuel Neuer could not keep out.

Gnabry made up for his mistake to equalise in first-half stoppage time, cutting through a crowded penalty area before chipping goalkeeper Marvin Schwabe from a tight angle.

With Harry Kane looking weary, Bayern turned to two defenders to take the lead.

Hiroki Ito leapt through the air and somehow kept the ball in play, turning it back for Kim to head home.

Bayern's teenage sensation Karl added a third to seal the points with seven minutes remaining.

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.

ndrej 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.

TEN-MAN HEARTS BOLSTER TITLE BID AS CELTIC STAY IN TOUCH

Elsewhere in Glasglow, Hearts survived Beni Baningime's red card to consolidate their position on top of the Scottish Premiership with a 2-0 win over St Mirren, while Celtic beat Falkirk 1-0 to stay in touch with the leaders on Wednesday.

Baningime was dismissed for a studs-up challenge on Roland Idowu after just 15 minutes with the match still goalless at Tynecastle.

But after grinding out a 1-0 win with 10 men at to Dundee on Sunday, Hearts once again took maximum points despite their numerical disadvantage.

Second-half goals from captain Lawrence Shankland and substitute Tomas Magnusson left Derek McInnes' side six points clear of third-placed Rangers and second-placed Celtic, who they host in their next league match a week on Sunday.

Benjamin Nygren's 10th league goal this season extended Celtic's revival under Martin O'Neill.

The Swede headed home an Arne Engels corner two minutes before halftime.

Celtic had to survive a scrappy performance at the Falkirk Stadium before emerging with their second clean-sheet in two games since O'Neill returned for a second spell as interim boss this season.

O'Neill replaced Wilfried Nancy, who was sacked after a disastrous eight-game reign, and masterminded a 4-0 win over Dundee United last weekend.