Borussia Monchengladbach kept up their stunning form to win 3-0 away at Cologne and climb to the top of the Bundesliga table.
Hanke double inspires victory over Cologne
Borussia Monchengladbach kept up their stunning form to win 3-0 away at Cologne and climb above Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga table.
Mike Hanke was on target twice and Juan Arango also scored as Lucien Favre's men notched a fourth successive league victory.
In a one-sided game, Cologne left the field with the boos from their own fans ringing in their ears after one of their most embarrassing derby defeats on record.
There was nothing for Gladbach to be ashamed of, though, as they continued their unlikely transformation from the side who only just avoided relegation in a play-off last season to the new pace-setters in the Bundesliga.
Marco Reus opened up the Rhine derby with a shot which brought the best out of Cologne goalkeeper Michael Rensing in the second minute.
Hanke put the visitors in front in the 20th minute with Patrick Hermann's pass somehow squeezing its way through to him to score from 12 yards out.
Immediate
Arango made it two 10 minutes later to silence the home fans with a finely-struck free-kick from almost 30 yards, leaving Rensing no chance.
Cologne's response was immediate with Lukas Podolski testing Marc-Andre ter Stegen for the first time in the 34th minute.
Gladbach needed just two minutes of the second half to wrap up victory with Hanke again on target.
He was on hand to poke the ball over the line after Rensing could only parry Havard Nordtveit's shot.
It could have been worse for Cologne when Reus tested Rensing in the 75th minute, but the former Bayern goalkeeper spared further embarrassment with a fine stop.
Bayern Munich have the chance to return to the summit by beating Mainz on Sunday, but reigning champions Borussia Dortmund could also go back above Monchengladbach with a win over fourth-placed Schalke on Saturday.
