Bundesliga on Tuesday
Thanks to a dream goal: Leverkusen stays close to Bayern
Updated on January 14, 2025 – 10:35 p.mReading time: 3 minutes
The Werkself are not showing any weakness and are keeping up with the German record champions. A stroke of genius decides the game. Meanwhile, Eintracht Frankfurt is playing itself into a frenzy.
Bayer Leverkusen remains on the heels of FC Bayern in the Bundesliga title fight. Coach Xabi Alonso’s team won a hard-fought game against FSV Mainz 05 1-0 (0-0). In the BayArena, which was sold out with 30,210 spectators, Alejandro Grimaldo scored (48th minute) for the reigning champions and cup winners.
With the victory, last season’s double winner moved within one point of the league leaders from Munich. As a surprise team in the first half of the season, Mainz remains within reach of the international places with 28 points. Bo Henriksen’s team confirmed for a long time why they are rightly considered favorites after victories against Bayern, Dortmund and Frankfurt this season.
But right from the start, Mainz had to accept an initial shock. The eagerly awaited duel between the top scorers – Patrik Schick (11 goals this season) and Jonathan Burkardt (12) – was over after just a few seconds. Burkardt, whose use was already questionable before the game, had to stop immediately during the first sprint. He grabbed his left thigh, went down and had to be substituted in the second minute.
After halftime, Leverkusen were able to celebrate. Grimaldo converted a free kick from around 18 meters over the Mainz wall into the right corner. After breaking free, Kovar had to stretch hard on the other side after a shot from Kaishu Sano. After Stefan Bell almost hit his own goal while clearing a corner, it was Wirtz again who shot from distance but was again denied by Zentner. Even after that, Leverkusen had chances, especially from distance, but had no luck. Mainz fought in the final phase but couldn’t connect.
The top goalscorer Omar Marmoush, who was courted by Manchester City, gave Eintracht Frankfurt an ideal end to the first half of the season and has the Hessians dreaming of the Champions League. In what may have been his last appearance in the Eintracht jersey, the 25-year-old scored the important opening goal against SC Freiburg in a clear 4-1 (1-1) win and thus scored for the 15th time in this Bundesliga season.
Both the 33 points and the 15 goals are club records for a Frankfurt first half of the season. In front of 56,500 spectators, Marmoush also prepared Robin Koch’s goal (43rd) before his own goal (65th minute). Hugo Ekitiké (71st) and Nnamdi Collins (82nd) followed up. Freiburg’s lead through Ritsu Doan (37th) became a statistical side note.
The Egyptian was in the public eye on Tuesday evening. A move for the striker to coach Pep Guardiola’s English champions could bring in up to 80 million euros. It was “not ruled out” that Marmoush would stay, coach Dino Toppmöller said before the game. Optimism sounds different.
Marmoush impressively showed against Freiburg why Man City wants to invest so much money. The attacker spun, repeatedly dribbled and was involved in virtually all offensive actions. With his 15 goals in the first half of the season, he surpassed the Greek Theofanis Gekas, who once scored 14 goals in the first 17 games for Frankfurt.
Jonas Wind scored the first goal in the third minute with a penalty kick. The Danish striker made it 2-0 with a heel to his compatriot Joakim Maehle (60′). Captain Maximilian Arnold (75th) and substitute Lukas Nmecha (84th/87th) scored three more goals in front of 20,519 spectators. Shio Fukuda scored a consolation goal in the 89th minute.
The Gladbachers had completely dominated the first half, but didn’t do anything with it. After a hopeful first half of the season, they started the new year with zero points and a meaningless goal in the first two games.