Bundesliga
Johan Bakayoko's stunning strike earned RB Leipzig a 1-0 win at Mainz, ending their three-match away goal drought and securing their second consecutive win of the season under Ole Werner. Mainz, for all their dominance in possession, couldn't break down the visitors, who produced a masterclass in defending a lead.
Mainz 0-1 RB Leipzig
Goals: 0-1 Bakayoko 40’ (assist: Banzuzi)
Both sides entered the fixture with renewed confidence after picking up their first points of the season last time out – Mainz drawing 1-1 at Wolfsburg courtesy of a late Nadiem Amiri penalty, while Leipzig eased past Heidenheim 2-0 at home.
For Bo Henriksen, the game was his 50th in charge of Mainz in the Bundesliga, with the Danish coach boasting an impressive record of 20 wins and 16 draws during his tenure. The visitors arrived looking to end a worrying run of three consecutive away matches without a goal, while Mainz were seeking their first home win in seven; a streak which dates back to February.
Leipzig burst out of the blocks in Mainz, with David Raum firing narrowly over the bar from a second-minute free-kick after Stefan Bell brought down Christoph Baumgartner. The visitors continued to threaten in the early stages with Bakayoko striking the post after nine minutes following a brilliant solo run.
Bell's early troubles continued when he received a yellow card in the seventh minute for a late challenge on Rômulo, putting the veteran defender on thin ice. Henriksen acted decisively though, removing Bell after just 15 minutes to avoid the risk of a red card, with Andreas Hanche-Olsen entering the fray.
Mainz gradually grew into the contest, with Arnaud Nordin proving their most dangerous outlet – the Frenchman rattling the woodwork from a tight angle in the 18th minute before testing Péter Gulácsi with a fierce volley late in the half.
The decisive moment came five minutes before the break when Bakayoko received the ball on the right wing from Ezechiel Banzuzi – who had earlier replaced the injured Xaver Schlager. The Belgian cut inside before unleashing a thunderous left-footed strike from nearly 30 yards that flew past Robin Zentner at his near post.
The hosts emerged for the second period with renewed determination, dominating possession but struggling to carve out clear chances against a well-organised Leipzig defence.
Henriksen threw caution to the wind with a triple substitution in the 75th minute, introducing Silvan Widmer, Sota Kawasaki and Nikolas Veratschnig. The latter made a crucial intervention in the 80th minute, producing a perfectly timed challenge to deny Rômulo, who was through on goal. Despite Mainz's late pressure, Leipzig held firm to secure their first away win of the campaign.
The Belgian winger proved the match-winner with his stunning strike, but his overall performance went far beyond just the decisive goal. Bakayoko was a constant threat down Leipzig's right flank, completing several successful dribbles and creating additional chances for his teammates.
Having already hit the woodwork earlier in the match, Bakayoko's persistence finally paid off with a moment of individual brilliance that ultimately settled the contest. His withdrawal in the 66th minute came after he had already left an indelible mark on the match, cementing his status as the standout performer on the day.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Mainz 0.89 - Leipzig 1.55
Fastest player: Nikolas Veratschnig (Mainz), 35.11 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 0-1 by Johan Bakayoko (Leipzig), 2.6 percent
Most pressed player: Antonio Nusa (Leipzig), 20 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Willi Orbán (Leipzig), +3.4
Fantasy Heroes: Willi Orbán (Leipzig, 326 Points), Dominik Kohr (Mainz, 272 Points), Kaishu Sano (Mainz, 249 Points)