Efforts by Bayern Munich to strengthen its lead on the German Bundesliga table has suffered major setbacks after losing 2-1 to Mainz away, recording its first defeat under the new manager, Vincent Kompany.
Before the game many football pundits had predicted victory for Bayern considering the team’s 5-1 victory against Shakhtar Donetsk during the UEFA champions league game.
In a surprising turn of events, Mainz secured a stunning 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich on Saturday, ending believe that the new manager was about to equal records set by the club’s previous managers including Pep Guardiola.
During the game on Saturday, Jae-sung Lee emerged as the hero for the hosts, netting both goals in a match where Bayern, typically dominant, struggled to find their footing.
Bayern found themselves at a disadvantage due to injuries, missing key players such as Harry Kane, Manuel Neuer, Alphonso Davies, Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry, and Joao Palhinha. Kane’s absence was particularly noticeable in the first half, as the league leaders controlled possession but failed to translate their efforts into goals.
Historically, Mainz has performed better than expected at home against the Bavarian giants, having secured three victories in their last four home encounters against them. As the match approached half-time, Mainz capitalized on a defensive blunder by South Korea international Min-Jae Kim, allowing Lee to pounce and strike decisively.
Despite knowing that Bayer Leverkusen was leading in their match against Augsburg, Bayern returned from the break lacking the precision and energy that characterizes their game. Mainz’s determination soon paid off again, as Lee found the net for the second time thanks to an excellent cross from Armindo Sieb, giving them a commanding lead.
Though Leroy Sane managed to score a late goal in the 87th minute, tapping in a deflected shot from Joshua Kimmich, it was too little too late for Bayern. Mainz held their ground to secure a memorable victory, pushing themselves up to sixth place in the standings.
Meanwhile, defending champions Bayer Leverkusen reinforced their strong form with a comfortable 2-0 win at Augsburg, marking their seventh consecutive victory. Martin Terrier opened the scoring early in the match with a well-placed shot following a low cross from Jeremie Frimpong. Florian Wirtz doubled the lead just before half-time with a brilliantly executed shot after deceiving the Augsburg defense.
