Bayern Munich have followed up qualifying for the Champions League semi-finals with a 5-1 thrashing of Union Berlin, while Cologne sank even further into the Bundesliga relegation zone after they were stunned at home 2-0 by Darmstadt.
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Coming off a 1-0 mid-week win against Arsenal, Bayern had a slow start to Saturday's match but were ahead in the 29th thanks to Leon Goretzka.
Union seemed close to an equaliser and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had to rescue Bayern twice, but it was the guests again scoring with a stunning free-kick from Harry Kane shortly before the break - his 40th goal for the club this season.
Goals from Thomas Muller and Mathys Tel put the game to bed already by the 62nd, before Muller completed a brace in the 66th to celebrate his 400th start in the Bundesliga.
Union got their consolation goal in stoppage time.
Bayern sit second with 66 points. After they had their 11-year dominance in the league ended by Bayer Leverkusen last weekend, Bayern's goal this season is to qualify for the Champions League.
With four games left, they are seven points ahead of RB Leipzig, who currently hold the last spot for the top competition.
"We're happy, it was a perfect week for us. It is not a given to win here in this way after the difficult game we had mid-week. Compliments to the team. It was a team effort," coach Thomas Tuchel said.
Bottom club Darmstadt found the breakthrough in the 57th after Cologne failed to deal with a corner. The ball fell to Christoph Klarer, who fired his shot between the legs of a defender and goalkeeper Marvi Schwabe. Oscar Vilhelmsson scored in stoppage time to seal the result.
Cologne are five points from Bochum, the first team out of the danger zone, and staggering towards their seventh relegation from the Bundesliga since 1998.
RB Leipzig scored a late goal in a 2-1 win against Heidenheim as they bid to qualify for the Champions League. Nikola Dovedan cancelled out Benjamin Sesko's opener in the 69th, but Leipzig claimed the win in the 85th thanks to Lois Openda.
Leipzig are fourth, currently the last spot for next season's Champions League, and three points ahead of fifth-placed Borussia Dortmund, who host newly-crowned champions Leverkusen on Sunday.
The Bundesliga, however, is closing in on a fifth Champions League spot, with ruling body UEFA awarding the top two nations in its events this term with an additional slot. Germany are currently second in the UEFA season rankings.
Wolfsburg, meanwhile, took a breather and increased their gap to the drop zone thanks to a 1-0 win against Bochum.
And Hoffenheim claimed a 4-3 stoppage-time win in a thrilling home match against Borussia Monchengladbach.
Australian Associated Press
