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Bundesliga

Hertha Berlin slumped to a 10th defeat of the Bundesliga season as Milivoje Novakovic's second-half goal gave Cologne victory.

Novakovic struck the winner with 11 minutes remaining to heap yet more misery on the capital club, who had dominated for much of the game.

The defeat kept Hertha, whose fortunes looked like they might be improving after they won 3-2 away to Heerenveen in the Europa League in midweek, bottom of the standings on four points.

The win moved Cologne, who have scored just twice in their last six league games but still collected eight points in the process, three points above the drop zone.

This game was a showdown between the Bundesliga's two least potent attacks and neither side created any chances of note in the first 40 minutes, although Novakovic did test Hertha keeper Jaroslav Drobny.

But Hertha came within a whisker of opening the scoring in the 41st minute as Raffael struck the frame of the goal twice in the space of 10 seconds.

The Brazilian first fired against the right post from 21 yards and then saw another shot from 12 yards come back off the left upright.

There was little sign of improvement after the break, although the hosts were the more determined to push forward.

Raffael went close again with 19 minutes left but shot just wide from 13 yards.

And Hertha were hit with a sucker punch in the 79th minute as Lukas Podolski's free kick from the left picked out Novakovic, who headed home.

Hertha piled forward in search of an equaliser, but could not find a way past Cologne keeper Faryd Mondragon.