One half is enough

LIVE: 3-0! Mainz 05 humiliates defending champion FC Bayern

Jamal Musiala celebrates Bayern’s victory over Mainz 05.(Bild: AFP/KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV)

The German champions needed just one half! FC Bayern Munich came back from a 0-3 deficit after 45 minutes to ultimately win 4-3 against FSV Mainz. At the other end of the table, 1. FC Heidenheim showed signs of life in the relegation battle, defeating direct rival St. Pauli 2-0.

In their first appearance as German Bundesliga champions, FC Bayern managed to win a game that had seemed lost. The Munich side trailed 0-3 at halftime on Saturday in Mainz, but the final score was 4-3 for Konrad Laimer and Co. The looming second loss of the season was thus averted. In the race for Champions League spots, Leverkusen secured all three points with a 2-1 win in Cologne, while in the relegation battle, bottom-placed Heidenheim defeated St. Pauli 2-0.

Bayern’s furious comeback
Three days before their Champions League semifinal match at Paris Saint-Germain, stars like Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala, and Michael Olise started the game on the bench for Bayern. Mainz, with Stefan Posch and Phillipp Mwene, caught the favorites off guard. Dominik Kohr (15th) off a corner kick and Paul Nebel (29th) on a counterattack scored in the first half-hour; Sheraldo Becker seemed to seal the deal with the 3-0 (45+2) just before the halftime whistle—but Bayern fought back.

 made the difference from the bench. With Kane and Olise after the break, the visitors launched an all-out attack. Nicolas Jackson (53') off a Laimer cross and Olise (73')—Laimer was again involved, setting up the attacker’s shot into the top corner—brought Vincent Kompany’s side back into the game, and Musiala (80'), who had also come on as a substitute, equalized. Kane scored Munich’s fourth goal in the 83rd minute. The last time Munich had come back from a 0-3 halftime deficit was in 1976, when they won 6-5 in Bochum.

Wolfsburg Still Winless
Wolfsburg’s match against Mönchengladbach ended 0-0. With three games remaining, Wolfsburg—featuring Patrick Wimmer (until the 83rd minute)—now sit three points ahead of Heidenheim and one point behind St. Pauli, which occupies the relegation spot. For Heidenheim, the injured Mathias Honsak was not in the squad. FC Augsburg, with Michael Gregoritsch (until the 53rd minute), and Eintracht Frankfurt played to a 1-1 draw. Augsburg, currently in ninth place, can still keep their eyes on the European spots.

Draw in Augsburg
Eintracht Frankfurt was the visiting team in Augsburg. The home side took the lead shortly before the halftime whistle. Following a counterattack, Gregoritsch’s shot hit the post—and from there fell right at the feet of Anton Kade. The 22-year-old didn’t miss the chance (44th minute). Ritsu Doan, who came on as a substitute at halftime (66th minute), managed to salvage a draw for Frankfurt.