Kane saves a point
FC Bayern makes a mistake against the bottom of the table
Updated 12/14/2025 – 7:43 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
FC Bayern almost lost their home game against Mainz 05. A penalty saved Munich from their first defeat of the season.
A late goal from Harry Kane prevented FC Bayern from suffering their first defeat of the season in the Bundesliga. The English international scored on Sunday afternoon in the 2-2 (1-1) draw against Mainz 05 shortly before the end with a penalty kick (87th minute) and thus secured his team a point.
The bottom of the table from Rhineland-Palatinate had previously sniffed out the sensation for a long time. After Bayern took the lead through top talent Lennart Karl (29th), Kacper Potulski equalized shortly before half-time (45th+2). Jae-Sung Lee turned the game in favor of the underdog in the second period. But then Kane struck.
While Bayern’s Hiroki Itō made his starting eleven comeback after more than nine months, Mainz had to do without numerous top performers. In addition to the suspended Dominik Kohr and Paul Nebel, Robin Zentner, Philipp Mwene, captain Silvan Widmer and Nadiem Amiri were missing. However, the new coach Urs Fischer emphasized that it was not a solution to “just put yourself at the back”.
However, Mainz had no other choice at the start. With ball possession values beyond 80 percent, Bayern pinned the guests in the opponent’s half, but without really becoming dangerous. Against the deep Mainz block, Karl (6th) and Kane (17th) only managed two harmless long-range attempts.
After Kaishū Sano hit the crossbar in one of Mainz’s rare relief attacks (17th), the Munich team increased the tempo. Kane (20th) failed from close range with a header that was too central to Zentner’s replacement Daniel Batz, who then parried the shots from Serge Gnabry (22nd) and Michael Olise (23rd).
Shortly afterwards, the Mainz goalkeeper was beaten. After a fluid attack via Olise, Kane and Gnabry, Karl just had to push in. In the stands, guest of honor Thomas Müller, grinning broadly, high-fived sports director Max Eberl. But the joy only lasted until shortly before half-time: 18-year-old Potulski equalized after a set piece from close range.
Bayern remained dominant after the break, but initially did not pose any threat. It wasn’t until a good hour later that the hosts had good chances again: Gnabry (60′, 65′) missed twice while completely free-standing – and Kane’s attempt (65′) was also cleared off the line by the Mainz team. In contrast, the Rhenish Hessians, in the person of Lee, presented themselves as ice-cold. Bayern then continued to attack the Mainz goal – with success. Kane took the penalty to equalize and converted himself.