FSV earn brilliant point in Munich

1. FSV Mainz 05 made a real statement on Sunday evening and earned a valuable point in their 2-2 draw with league leaders FC Bayern München. The 05ers turned the game around after half time and dreamed of an incredible win away at the record champions. Lennart Karl gave the hosts the lead early on, before Kacper Potulski equalised on the stroke of half time. Jae-sung Lee then got the 05ers dreaming with his second-half header, before those dreams were ended by a late Harry Kane penalty.

Urs Fischer was forced to draw up his starting XI for this game without many key names. Dominik Kohr and Paul Nebel were both suspended, while Silvan Widmer and Nadiem Amiri were forced to miss out due to muscular injuries. Andreas Hanche-Olsen and Nelson Weiper started on the bench, while Stefan Bell, Kacper Potulski, Sota Kawasaki, Lennard Maloney were given a spot in the starting XI.

05ers both lucky and unlucky

The match began as expected, with Bayern dominating and pinning Mainz inside their own half. The visitors appeared to be well prepared to deal with just that and stayed disciplined in their positioning and gave up very little in the opening 16 minutes. The only real attempt Bayern had in that time came from a Lennart Karl shot, which Daniel Batz was able to deal with. Down the other end, Mainz looked to attack on the counter. Benedict Hollerbach made a run down the right and crossed into the box, however Hiroki Ito and Min-jae Kim were able to clear it before it reached Jae-sung Lee and Bøving. The first chance of the game fell to the 05ers, albeit a slightly fortunate one. Veratschnig’s cross found the head of Bell, before somehow hitting Lee on the head and then bouncing off the top of the crossbar (17’). A lucky escape for the record champions, who reacted fiercely. Daniel Batz made a great, reflex save to deny Harry Kane (20’), before then tipping a Michael Olise shot past the post. Just before the half-hour mark, the hosts opened the scoring. Kane whipped a low ball across the box, which Gnabry then laid back to Karl, who just had to tap it home past a powerless Batz (29’).

Not a lot changed for the rest of the half, other than Bayern seemingly taking their foot off the gas slightly and failing to create any more real chances to add to their preventable, yet deserved lead. It was then the visitors who launched one final attack before half time. Bøving won a free kick on the edge of the box after being brought down by Tom Bischof, which he then whipped into the Bayern box. Academy product Potulski rose highest to meet the cross and powered his header past Manuel Neuer (45+1’). The 18-year-old celebrated his first professional goal, before the teams then headed down the tunnel for the half-time break.

Kane cancels out Lee

The equaliser really shifted the momentum, as the champions seemed to struggle to find their way back into the match after half time. Mainz looked a solid side against fairly harmless Bayern possession. The hosts got their first big chance of the half on the hour mark, as Olise floated a beautiful cross to the back post, but Gnabry just couldn’t get the right contact on the ball. Fischer made his first change soon after, bringing Arnaud Nordin on for the injured Sota Kawasaki. More Bayern chances seemed inevitable, despite Mainz’s solid defending, and it was Gnabry again who found himself in front of goal. The winger only had Batz to beat, but Mainz’s goalkeeper stood strong and made the save, before Potulski then cleared Kane’s follow-up effort off the line. The 05ers then stepped up their attacking effort with a run and cross from Veratschnig, however there were no takers in the middle. Bayern’s failure to clear the ball meant that it fell to Bell, who then delivered an inch-perfect cross into the box, where Lee was there to brilliantly head past Neuer – 2-1 (67’)!

The goal sparked a new determination in the home side, with Gnabry again at the heart of the action. Potulski made a crucial interception to deny a ball from reaching Kane in behind (72’), before both Jackson and Gnabry had chances to equalise. Hollerbach, who had run himself into the ground, was then brought off, with Weiper taking his place. Ten minutes before the end of regular time, Nordin unleashed a fierce, but wild effort that wasn’t close to troubling Neuer. Minutes later, Potulski was judged to have brought down Kane in the box – penalty Bayern. Kane kept his cool once the decision had been confirmed by VAR and beat Batz to make it 2-2 (87’). A bitter pill to swallow for the 05ers, who were so close to just their second Bundesliga win of the season. After a real battle, Mainz could be proud of their performance and leave Bavaria with a well-deserved point.

There are just two games left for FSV in 2025, with both to be played at home. Samsunspor visit the MEWA ARENA on Thursday for matchday six of the UEFA Conference League (21:00 CET), before the final game of the year in the Bundesliga against St. Pauli just three days later (Sunday, 17:30 CET).