Can you believe Leverkusen survived a seven‑goal rollercoaster to claim victory? The Germans edged Mainz 4‑3 away, despite Anthony Caci’s brace for the hosts, and now enjoy back‑to‑back wins.
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Mainz 3-4 Leverkusen
Goals: 0-1 Andrich 5′, 0-2 Schick 9′ (assist: García), 1-2 Caci 33′, 2-2 Caci 42′ (assist: Amiri), 2-3 Quansah 55′, 2-4 Diaby 65′ (assist: Moreira), 3-4 Hollerbach 90’+2
Mainz head coach Urs Fischer made one change to his starting line-up after the 4-3 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach, bringing in Eric Martel for Jaesung Lee. Bayer Leverkusen’s Carles Martínez also made a single change, with Robert Andrich coming in for Ezequiel Fernández to make his 200th Bundesliga appearance.
Mainz went into the match on seven points from four games, among the division’s better starts, while Leverkusen arrived off the back of a 2-0 win over RB Leipzig.
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Robert Andrich opened the scoring for Leverkusen with a stunning long-range effort. – IMAGO/Gerhard Schultheiß –>
Visitors burst out with a rapid start.
Leverkusen struck twice within ten minutes. A Phillipp Mwene header fell to Andrich, who volleyed from 18 m in the 5th minute. Four minutes later, Ibrahim Maza’s dummy freed Patrik Schick, who tapped in from ten yards.
Mainz grew into the match, and after thirty minutes Martel’s header was blocked by Andrich before Caci seized the rebound, pulling one back in the 33rd. He struck again before halftime, finishing from 15 m after a Nadiem Amiri pass, leveling at 2‑2.
Caci celebrates after reducing Mainz’s deficit to 1‑2.
Leverkusen soon re‑established control.
Leverkusen retook the lead in the 55th as Jarell Quansah headed home on his second try, after Schwolow’s initial save; VAR confirmed the goal despite a possible Schick handball.
Ten minutes later Diaby curled a stunning 18‑m strike into the top corner, restoring a two‑goal cushion at 2‑4. Mainz kept pressing, and deep in stoppage time Benedict Hollerbach, sub for Sheraldo Becker, netted after Lennard Maloney’s deflected shot, but time ran out. For my money, Diaby’s finish was the match’s finest moment.
Quansah celebrates his header that put Leverkusen back ahead 2‑3.