Bayern beats Cologne and sets a record after smoke stops play in Bundesliga

There was plenty of smoke, but Bayern Munich needed time to show some fire.

In a game held up for 10 minutes because flare smoke covered the field, 17-year-old Lennart Karl's fourth Bundesliga goal of a breakout season helped Bayern to a 3-1 win at Cologne in the Bundesliga on Wednesday.

With 17 games of 34 played, that meant Bayern matched the previous Bundesliga points record of 47 at the halfway stage set by Pep Guardiola’s Bayern of 2013-14 and surpassed it on goal difference, +53 to +35. Bayern's win restored its 11-point lead over second-place Borussia Dortmund.

Still, it wasn't the sort of spectacular dominance seen Sunday in Bayern's 8-1 win over Wolfsburg.

Cologne fans' vast pyrotechnic display before kickoff produced thick smoke which drifted over the field before the referee stopped the game in the fourth minute, leaving the players to kick the ball around while it cleared.

Cologne was fired up, too. Only quick reactions from Manuel Neuer stopped 19-year-old Said El Mala giving Cologne the lead on a quick break in the second minute.

Linton Maina put Cologne ahead in the 41st, snatching the ball off Serge Gnabry deep inside his own half and surging down the field to score a spectacular solo goal as Bayern's defense was slow to react.

Gnabry hit back a few minutes later with a different kind of special goal, a trick shot from a narrow angle which bounced off the ground and over the goalkeeper.

After Bayern struggled to break down the Cologne defense, an intricate short corner routine did the trick, allowing Kim Min-jae to head his team ahead in the 71st. Karl's clinical first-time finish made it 3-1 in the 84th off a pass from Luis Díaz.

Leipzig showed its set-piece skills as it made a belated start to 2026 with a 2-0 win over Freiburg thanks to headers from Willi Orban and Romulo.

Leipzig's first game of the new year Saturday at St. Pauli was called off because of safety concerns over snow and ice at the stadium. It's in third place, 15 points off leader Bayern.

Andrej Kramaric had a hat trick by halftime as Hoffenheim beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 5-1 to boost its hopes of Champions League qualification in fifth.

Reeling from the 8-1 loss to Bayern, its worst in the Bundesliga, Wolfsburg responded with a 2-1 win over relegation-threatened St. Pauli. Dzenan Pejcinovic headed in the winning goal in the 88th minute.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Hoffenheim's Tim Lemperle, center, celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and Bor. Mönchengladbach in Sinsheim, Germany, Wednesday Jan. 14, 2026. (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)

Leipzig's Willi Orban celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and SC Freiburg in Leipzig, Germany, Wednesday Jan. 14, 2026. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

Bayern's Lennart Karl controls the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1.FC Koeln and FC Bayern Munich in Cologne, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Bayern's Harry Kane, center, walks on the pitch covered in smoke from flares during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1.FC Koeln and FC Bayern Munich in Cologne, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

PROVO, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 15, 2026--

Ionic Mineral Technologies ("Ionic MT"), a pioneer in developing one of the world’s most comprehensive hubs for rare earths and critical minerals, today announced the appointment of Shane Porzio as its Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective January 5, 2026. Mr. Porzio will lead the Company's operational scale-up from pilot to full commercial production of its nano-silicon, high-purity alumina, and rare earth elements derived from its proprietary Utah-based halloysite clay resources.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260115244096/en/

Mr. Porzio brings over two decades of executive leadership in global chemical and advanced materials companies, with a distinguished tenure at BASF where he served as Vice President and Global Business Head for Kaolin Minerals. In this role, he managed a global P&L across five plants and three mines, tripling EBITDA by refocusing investments into high-growth segments and securing major capital programs. His direct experience in the mining, processing, and commercial application of kaolin clay—a mineralogically similar aluminosilicate to Ionic MT's halloysite—provides a foundational understanding critical to accelerating the Company's proprietary extraction and refinement processes.

Andre Zeitoun, Founder and CEO of Ionic MT, stated, "We are thrilled to welcome Shane to the COO role in this pivotal moment for Ionic MT. His vast experience is a direct match for our mission: he has scaled mineral processing operations and commercialized disruptive materials on a global stage. His specific background in kaolin clay at BASF is invaluable, as he understands the geology, mineralogy, and processing pathways that are directly applicable to unlocking our halloysite deposits."

At Ionic MT, Mr. Porzio will be responsible for all operational facets of scaling the Company's three core product lines: rare earths, alumina, and nano-silicon. His mandate includes leading the scale-up of commercial production in Provo, establishing rigorous EH&S and quality management systems for the automotive battery sector, and driving vertical integration from feedstock to finished battery-grade material. His proven experience in post-merger integration (PMI) and capital project execution will also be key as the Company pursues strategic growth initiatives.

"I am thrilled to join Ionic MT at this inflection point," said Shane Porzio. "The Company's technology represents a genuine leap forward in sustainable critical minerals production. My experience in taking complex mineral systems from the lab to global markets, particularly with layered aluminosilicates, at multi-million-ton scale aligns perfectly with the challenge ahead. I look forward to working with Andre and the talented team to build a reliable, scalable, and cost-competitive supply chain that strengthens American energy independence."

Mr. Porzio's career includes transformational leadership roles as President & CEO of Profile Products, where he launched and scaled a new global business unit to millions in revenue within 12 months, and as Global Senior Vice President at Vantage Specialty Chemicals. He holds a Ph.D. in Polymer Science from the University of Akron, an MBA from Wake Forest University and a B.S. in Anthropology and Chemistry from Beloit College.

About Ionic Mineral Technologies

Ionic Mineral Technologies is a U.S.-based, vertically integrated producer of advanced critical materials essential to energy storage, national defense, and clean manufacturing. Backed by permitted domestic mineral resources and proprietary processing technologies, the company is scaling production of 16 rare earth and critical minerals, Ionisil™ nano-silicon, and IonAl™ high-purity alumina—three of the most strategically important components for next-generation battery and defense technologies. Ionic MT’s asset-backed, multi-product platform offers a secure and scalable alternative to geopolitically vulnerable global supply chains. Learn more at https://ionicmt.com/.

Shane Porzio, Chief Operating Officer at Ionic Mineral Technologies