BERLIN: Bayer Leverkusen missed the chance to go second in the Bundesliga table after a 2-2 draw at Cologne on Sunday.
Cologne's Anthony Modeste scored a second-half brace to ensure a share of the spoils.
Leverkusen made a bright start into the Rhine derby and looked dangerous on the counterattack against a cautious Cologne side.
It was one such counter that broke the deadlock for Leverkusen as Robert Andrich intercepted Modeste's pass before releasing Moussa Diaby, who allowed Patrik Schick to slot home with 15 minutes gone.
Andrich remained a factor and had a large share in Leverkusen's second goal, setting up for Karim Bellarabi who made it 2-0 two minutes later.
With the result, Bayer Leverkusen slip to fourth, while Cologne slump to eighth spot in the Bundesliga table.
Elsewhere, 10-man Stuttgart flabbergasted Union Berlin with a last-gasp equalizer by Wahid Faghir, who clinched the Swabians a draw on home soil, and Eintracht Frankfurt suffered its second straight loss after newly-promoted Bochum snatched a 2-0 win courtesy of goals from Danny Blum and Sebastian Polter. Agencies
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