Hertha Berlin snatched their first Bundesliga victory of 2016 on Friday, edging past Cologne 1-0 thanks to a Vedad Ibisevic goal as the visitors tightened their grip on third place.
The Berlin club enjoyed a good first half of the season but have suffered a dip in form since the winter break with their last league win coming on December 20.
A 43rd-minute strike by Ibisevic, his seventh of the campaign in the Bundesliga, gave Hertha 39 points from 23 matches, four clear of fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen.
More aggressive at the start, Hertha scored when Cologne lost possession in midfield and Ibisevic capped a swift move by converting a Salomon Kalou pass.
The roles were almost reversed in the 72nd minute as the Bosnian striker headed on a corner and Ivorian Kalou narrowly failed to connect in front of goal.
Cologne, who hit the woodwork through Anthony Modeste in the 82nd minute, suffered a second straight defeat to stay in ninth position on 29 points.
Bayern Munich, eight points clear at the top, travel to VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday while second-placed Borussia Dortmund host Hoffenheim a day later.
Image: Borussia Dortmund's Marcel Schmelzer (left) and Hertha Berlin's Vedad Ibisevic in an aeriel duel
Photograph: Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters
