23rd matchday
Mainz (AP) – After the first bankruptcy this year, most of Bayer Leverkusen’s professionals quickly fled. The 2: 3 (1: 0) at FSV Mainz 05 at the start of the 23rd matchday of the Bundesliga clearly caused frustration for the Werkself.
While the Rheinhessen celebrated the late victory with their fans, the guests disappeared into the dressing room immediately after the final whistle. Top scorer Patrick Schick (35th minute) and Joker Lucas Alario (74th) gave the guests the lead twice in front of 10,000 spectators. But Aarón Martín (57′), Jean-Paul Boëtius (84′) and Marcus Ingvartsen (88′) turned the game around in favor of the 05ers, who equaled their club record from 2009 under Thomas Tuchel with their fifth home win in a row.
“We played a good game, that was a great performance,” said goal scorer Ingvartsen after the game at DAZN. Leverkusen midfielder Robert Andrich noted that Bayer lost “not undeservedly”: “Mainz did really well today. We didn’t deserve much either.” The visitors had the first chance. Kerem Demirbay tested Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner in the 6th minute. However, the Rheinhessen then made the game and the snappier impression. Bayer struggled to find space for the combination game that was so successful this season. The hosts are different. Anton Stach (13th) and Silvan Widmer (16th) failed with shots by a good Lukas Hradecky, who made a strong save.
Committed people from Mainz
Mainz went into the game without any personnel changes. Coach Bo Svensson trusted the same starting XI as in the previous week in the 1-1 draw in Freiburg. Bayer coach Gerardo Seoane made a change: defender Jonathan Tah returned after surviving an infection and replaced the injured Mitchel Bakker.
The committed team from Mainz deserved the lead in the first half, but even the greatest opportunity after half an hour didn’t lead to success. Jonathan Burkardt put the ball on his strike partner Karim Onisiwo in front of Hradecky, but the Austrian was blocked decisively.
Leverkusen’s top scorer Schick did better: The Czech tried a shot from about 20 meters and was lucky that FSV captain Moussa Niakhaté deflected the ball from goalkeeper Zentner. It was the first goal Mainz conceded at home since November 21 in the 1-1 draw against 1. FC Köln. After that, the 05er had won four home games in a row to zero.
Send out hurt
Schick had to be replaced injured shortly after the restart. He was replaced by Alario (48′), who a short time later watched Mainz take control of the game again: Aarón Martín equalized with a free-kick goal worth seeing. The supposed opening goal by Onisiwo was taken back a little later by referee Benjamin Cortus (63.) – the goal on the other side by Alario after a nice Bayer combination counted.
But Mainz stayed on and substitute Boëtius flicked the ball from the edge of the penalty area into the far corner to equalize 2-2. The Svensson team showed character and the other joker Ingvartsen poked the ball through the Bayer defense with a lot of will to lead 3:2.