Tomas Pekhart grabbed the winner as Nurnberg dampened Cologne's carnival celebrations in a tense relegation battle at the Frankenstadion with a 2-1 victory.
Alexander Esswein gave Dieter Hecking's side the lead in the 28th minute, but Milivoje Novakovic brought Cologne - whose city is in the midst of its annual festivities - level in the 66th minute.
Pekhart earned Nurnberg all three points five minutes from the end of the game to give them a crucial win which takes them seven points clear of the bottom three while leaving Cologne six points away from danger.
Cologne had lost on their previous seven visits to the Frankenstadion and it did not look like that record was going to end when Esswein put the hosts in front in the 28th minute.
Timothy Chandler's shot ricocheted out to Esswein, who accepted the invitation to shoot powerfully in off the inside of the post from just outside the penalty area.
Hanno Balitsch, making his Nurnberg debut following his move from Bayer Leverkusen last month, was denied a goal in the 35th minute as the hosts controlled the proceedings.
Pekhart was just a second too late as Michael Rensing managed to hold Markus Feulner's cross at the second attempt in the 38th minute.
Esswein and Feulner both had shots saved early in the second half before Novakovic levelled.
Substitute Odise Roshi sent a low cross in from the right and Novakovic scored from six yards with practically Cologne's first shot of the game.
Daniel Didavi hit the woodwork as Nurnberg stepped up their search for a winner and it was one-way traffic for the last 20 minutes.
And the home side were rewarded for their persistent efforts five minutes from time when Pekhart headed the ball in off the post to earn Nurnberg a deserved win.
