Bundesliga
Alejandro Grimaldo's stunning free-kick was the difference as Bayer Leverkusen kept the pressure on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich with victory over Mainz.
Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Mainz
Goals: 1-0 Grimaldo (48')
Leverkusen, looking to close the gap on the league leaders, faced a Mainz side in impressive form, having won six of their last seven Bundesliga games. The match promised to be a test of Leverkusen's title credentials against Mainz's resurgent form under Bo Henriksen.
Early setback for Mainz
The match began with an immediate setback for Mainz as their captain and top scorer Jonathan Burkardt was forced off with an injury in just the third minute. This early blow forced Mainz to reshuffle their attack, with Armindo Sieb coming on as a replacement. Despite this disruption, Mainz showed resilience and managed to frustrate Leverkusen's attempts to break the deadlock in the opening stages. In the seventh minute, Florian Wirtz set up Patrik Schick for a golden opportunity, but Andreas Hanche-Olsen made a goal-line intervention to deny the Czech striker.
As the first half progressed, Leverkusen began to assert their dominance. Wirtz was at the heart of their best attacking play, consistently creating chances for his teammates. Leverkusen continued to press, with Aleix García and Piero Hincapié both coming close to opening the scoring. However, Mainz's defence, marshalled by the impressive Robin Zentner in goal, held firm. The visitors even managed to create a chance of their own, with Stefan Bell forcing a save from Matěj Kovář in the 28th minute.
The deadlock was finally broken just three minutes into the second half. After Stefan Bell fouled Wirtz just outside the penalty area, Grimaldo stepped up to take the free-kick. The Spanish defender produced a moment of magic, curling the ball over the wall and beyond the reach of Zentner to give Leverkusen a 1-0 lead.
Despite falling behind, Mainz refused to give up. They responded well to the goal, with Jae-sung Lee forcing a good save from Kovář in the 50th minute. However, Leverkusen continued to create chances, with Jeremie Frimpong and Tella denied by the brilliant Zentner.
Dramatic conclusion
Mainz's coach Bo Henriksen was shown a yellow card followed by a red card in injury time, adding to the visitors' frustrations. The 05ers continued to push for an equaliser until the final whistle, but Leverkusen's defence held firm to secure victory - their seventh in a row in the Bundesliga and one that takes them back to within a point of Bayern, who host Hoffenheim on Wednesday.
Watch: Xabi Alonso reflects on Mainz win
Player of the Match: Florian Wirtz
While Grimaldo's goal ultimately decided the match, Wirtz was the standout performer throughout. The Germany midfielder was at the heart of Leverkusen's attacking play, creating numerous chances for his teammates and constantly troubling the Mainz defence with his vision and dribbling skills. Wirtz's influence was evident in the statistics, as he led the team in shots, successful dribbles, and chances created. His ability to draw fouls in dangerous areas, including the one that led to Grimaldo's goal, was crucial to Leverkusen's victory.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Leverkusen 2.1 - Mainz 0.41
Fastest player: Jeremie Frimpong (B04), 34.61 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-0 by Alejandro Grimaldo (B04), 9.5 percent
Most pressed player: Florian Wirtz (B04), 48 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Granit Xhaka (B04), +4.8
Watch: Granit Xhaka talks up Alejandro Grimaldo
Fantasy Heroes: Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer 04 Leverkusen, 395 Points), Florian Wirtz (Bayer 04 Leverkusen, 333 Points), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer 04 Leverkusen, 292 Points)