Cologne left it late to secure a 1-1 draw at home to Mainz after Lukas Podolski struck five minutes from time.
Striker grabs late leveller in home draw with Mainz
Cologne left it late to secure a 1-1 draw at home to Mainz after Lukas Podolski grabbed his 14th Bundesliga goal of the season five minutes from time.
Sami Allagui put the visitors in front in the 70th minute, but Germany forward Podolski levelled to keep his side three points ahead of their opponents in the table.
The 26-year-old's contract expires at the end of next season and he has attracted the interest of Schalke, but it is Cologne who are getting the benefit of his blistering form at the moment.
Mainz were the first to threaten when Zoltan Stieber crossed for Niko Bungert, but the defender, still up the pitch following a corner, headed wide from six yards.
At the other end, Mainz goalkeeper Christian Wetklo had to be alert to rush off his line and claim the ball at the feet of Miso Brecko.
Denied
Stieber then fired a free-kick over the bar, before Sami Allagui was denied by a superb last-ditch tackle by Pedro Geromel, who cleared the danger.
The visitors were looking increasingly threatening and Allagui fired wide from a Zdenek Pospech cross, while Cologne keeper Michael Rensing kept out Mario Gavranovic's 20-yard effort.
Half-time could not come soon enough for the hosts, but Mainz were quickest out of the blocks in the second half too as Stieber blasted a free-kick narrowly over.
Podolski almost created the opening goal for his side minutes later when he sent Mato Jajalo through one-on-one with Wetklo, but the Mainz keeper showed quick reactions to deny him.
Cologne continued to look vulnerable at the back, though, and Gavranovic fired wide before Allagui gave Mainz the lead they deserved.
Response
The Tunisia international scored with a free header from Julian Baumgartlinger's cross to break the deadlock.
Cologne looked for a quick response and Miso Brecko headed against his own team-mate Sascha Riether before his second attempt from six yards went past the right post.
The hosts were playing as well as they had all game by that point and Podolski had a free-kick saved by Wetklo before, in the 85th minute, he equalised.
Jajalo fed the Germany international 25 yards out and Podolski let fly with a fierce drive which flew into the right corner of the net.
Christian Clemens even had a chance to win it for Cologne in the 90th minute when Malik Fathi's slip let him in, but he shot wide.
