Ten-man Kaiserslautern fought back from a goal down to claim a point at home to Cologne this afternoon.

Lukas Podolski put Cologne ahead in the 29th minute and the hosts suffered a further setback six minutes before the break when Srdjan Lakic was sent off. But Kaiserslautern battled back to level through Jan Moravek in the 51st minute. 

They have now lost just once in the last seven games to lie 10th. Cologne, though, have won just once in five but still moved ahead of Stuttgart into 16th place.

Cologne were without five players - Youssef Mohamad, Kevin McKenna, Miso Brecko, Konstantinos Giannoulis and Mato Jajalo - because of swine flu, with assistant coach Thomas Hassler also suffering from the illness.

The first chance of the game went to 'Lautern in the 11th minute as Andrezinho cleared Rodnei's header off the goal line. Cologne came even closer in the 29th-minute mark as Podolski's free-kick from just outside the area hit the post.

And they went ahead seconds later from a terrible mistake by Rodnei, whose back pass to goalkeeper Tobias Sippel came back off the right post and into the path of Podolski, the Germany international striking his shot into the far left corner of the net.

The hosts went a man down in the 39th minute when Lakic saw red for raising his hand at Christian Eichner, the pair clashing after Kaiserslautern had a penalty appeal turned down. Cologne went close again two minutes before the break as Petit's free-kick glanced off the outside of the left post.

'Lautern came out for the second half fighting and Ivo Ilicevic headed just wide from seven yards out in the 48th minute. And they levelled three minutes later with Moravek striking home a loose ball from 15 yards.

Kaiserslautern pushed forward in search of a winner and Florian Dick hammered a shot off the crossbar in the 61st minute. But Cologne missed two golden chances to regain the lead with five minutes left. Podolski lobbed a ball over Sippel as he charged off his line, but Leon Jessen rushed back to head off the line. And from the resulting corner, Sippel pushing clear Martin Lanig's header from six yards before Geromel struck the rebound over the crossbar from four yards out.

Cologne keeper Michael Rensing then made a superb stop from Thanos Petsos with three minutes to play to keep the scores level.