Goals in each half from Christoph Baumgartner lifted RB Leipzig to a 2-1 win at Cologne on Sunday and up into fourth place in the Bundesliga.
Stuttgart's loss to St Pauli on Saturday, their first defeat since early December, left the door to the top four ajar and Leipzig obliged, winning for just the second time in five outings.
Austria midfielder Baumgartner has emerged as Leipzig's most potent creative threat since the departure of Xavi Simons to Tottenham in August. He has eight goals and seven assists in 20 league games this season.
The victory will boost Leipzig ahead of their trip to Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the German Cup on Wednesday.
The visitors arrived in Cologne in danger of missing Champions League qualification for a second straight season, having picked up just seven points from their past seven games.
Winger Brajan Gruda was named in the starting XI just days after his deadline day arrival from Premier League side Brighton on a six-month loan.
Cologne's teenage winger Said El Mala went close twice in the opening stages but Baumgartner put the visitors in front after 29 minutes, heading in a dipping David Raum free-kick.
Just after the break, Cologne's Jan Thielmann was off balance but somehow managed to stick an impressive shot in the top left corner to level the scores.
Leipzig hit back immediately however, Baumgartner collecting a low pass from Austria teammate Xaver Schlager on the turn before blasting home.
Later on Sunday, Bayern can restore their six-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga with a win at home to Hoffenheim, after Borussia Dortmund's shaky win at Wolfsburg on Saturday drew the chasers three points behind.