FSV Mainz 05 3-4 Bayer 04 Leverkusen: Diaby seals it, Hollerbach pulls one back late
Bayer Leverkusen won 4-3 at the Mewa Arena in a seven-goal thriller, after being pegged back to 2-2 by Mainz in the first half.
- Leverkusen raced to a 2-0 lead through Andrich and Schick inside 9 minutes
- Mainz fought back to 2-2 thanks to a Caci brace
- Diaby made it 2-4 in the 66th minute, Hollerbach scored a late consolation
FSV Mainz 05 3-4 Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Scorers: Andrich (5'), Schick (9'), Caci (33'), Caci (42'), Leverkusen goal (55'), Diaby (66'), Hollerbach (90'+2)
Kick-off: 14:30 UK time / 15:30 CEST, Mewa Arena, Mainz
The match
Bayer Leverkusen made a flying start at the Mewa Arena. Robert Andrich put the visitors ahead in the 5th minute, and Patrik Schick doubled the lead four minutes later, making it 0-2 before the 10-minute mark.
Mainz responded before the break. Phillip Tietz was booked in the 20th minute. Anthony Caci then pulled one back for the hosts in the 33rd minute, making it 1-2. Sheraldo Becker picked up a yellow card in the 35th minute. Caci struck again in the 42nd minute to complete his brace and level the score at 2-2 heading into half-time.
Leverkusen regained the lead early in the second half, scoring again in the 55th minute. In the 66th minute, Moussa Diaby, assisted by Afonso Moreira, made it 2-4. Leverkusen also made a substitution in that minute, with Martin Terrier replacing Ibrahim Maza.
Mainz used their bench in search of a way back, bringing on Jae-sung Lee, Danny da Costa, Ransford Königsdörffer, Benedict Hollerbach and Lennard Maloney between the 70th and 81st minutes. Lee was booked in the 76th minute. Leverkusen responded with changes of their own, introducing Malik Tillman for Diaby, Equi Fernández for Aleix García, and Jonas Hofmann for Schick.
Deep into stoppage time, in the 90+2nd minute, substitute Benedict Hollerbach pulled one back for Mainz to make it 3-4, which proved to be the final score. Jarell Quansah was booked for Leverkusen in the 90+3rd minute.
The numbers
Mainz had more attempts on goal, 23 to 16, but were less clinical, registering 5 shots on target compared to Leverkusen's 7. Possession favoured the visitors slightly, 53% to 47%. Mainz edged the corner count 4-3 and committed 11 fouls to Leverkusen's 10. Mainz finished with three yellow cards to Leverkusen's one.
Table and next fixture
The win takes Bayer Leverkusen to 7 points from 4 games (2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss, 10 goals scored, 5 conceded), sitting sixth in the table. Mainz also sit on 7 points but with a worse goal difference (10 scored, 6 conceded), placing them seventh.
Borussia Dortmund lead the way with 13 points, ahead of Bayern Munich and SC Freiburg on 10, and Werder Bremen on 8.
Next up: Mainz travel to Schalke 04 on Saturday, 17 October at 15:30 CEST. Bayer Leverkusen host SC Freiburg on Sunday, 18 October at 15:30 CEST.