On the back of three successive defeats against top-flight opponents, Leverkusen were quick out of the blocks here as only a smart save from Martin Schwabe stopped Patrik Schick from turning home Ibrahim Maza’s cross in the fourth minute.
The subsequent corner was only cleared as far as Maza on the edge of the area, and the Algerian’s volley was also brilliantly saved by Schwabe, who was alert to deny Malik Tillman’s rebound.
However, there was nothing the Cologne custodian could do on seven minutes when Aleix Garcia atoned for an error leading to a goal in midweek in some style, stroking home a glorious free-kick which marked his third successive goal, which opened the scoring inside 10 minutes.
Given that 10 of Cologne’s prior 11 home league matches had seen both teams score, there was still considerable danger in this contest for the visitors.
And never was that clearer before the break than on the 10-minute mark when Marius Bulter’s low cross was met by Sebastian Sebulonsen, whose shot forced a save from Mark Flekken before Maza blocked Linton Maina’s follow-up.
Plenty of endeavour followed in the build-up to half-time, but Die Werkself held firm to ensure Cologne trailed at the interval for the fifth time in nine Bundesliga matches this season.
Having avoided defeat in two of the other four games when they were behind at half-time, the hosts looked to start the second half with more intent, which Mikey Moore perhaps took too far as he was booked within four seconds of the restart for a challenge on Facundo Medina.
Leverkusen continued to offer the greater threat in attack, but efforts from Tillman and Maza missed the target, while Schick and Afonso Moreira were brilliantly kept out by Schwabe.
In the closing stages, Schick was denied an eighth career goal against FC Koln, handling the ball moments before finding the bottom corner, but the Czech was not to be denied in the 85th minute as he curled home the killer goal, having been slotted in by Maza.
Koln's wait for a first home league win over Leverkusen since December 2019 goes on despite Said El Mala’s spectacular consolation strike in the 92nd minute as he turned home on the volley from brother Mailk’s cross.
There was not enough time left for a comeback, though, meaning they missed out on the chance to go unbeaten in their first five home fixtures of a Bundesliga season for just the third time in 34 years.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Aleix Garcia (Bayer Leverkusen)