After clinching the Bundesliga title last weekend, Bayern Munich looked to maintain the winning momentum when they face Mainz on matchday 31 of the Bundesliga. The first half turned out to be a disaster for the Champions as they found themselves 3-0 down. However, the heavyweights coming off the bench saw them complete an astonishing comeback to clinch a 4-3 victory.
Kompany had one eye on the next week’s first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain. The Belgian coach made several changes to the starting XI that featured against Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB Pokal semi-final on Wednesday. Joshua Kimmich and Dayot Upamecano were rested and left out of the matchday squad.
The visitors failed to clear the lines from a corner. Mainz kept the play alive through Kaishu Sano. The Japanese forward did well to hold onto the ball in the box and deliver a cross for Dominik Kohr. The German defender volleyed the ball past Jonas Urbig to open the scoring.
Bayern were rattled after conceding the first goal. They struggled to retain possession after Kohr’s goal. There were frequent turnovers, which allowed hosts to create chances on the counter. They doubled their lead in the 29th minute through a slick move. Nadiem Amiri carried the ball into the final third and unleashed a venomous shot on the goal. Urbig only managed to parry it into Paul Nebel's path. The German midfielder calmly slotted the ball into the net to double the lead for the hosts.
The misery for the visitors were further compounded at the end of the first half as Mainz got their third goal. Amiri was at the heart of it. After a pass from Sano released Amiri on the left flank, the German forward unleashed a thunderous shot to test Jonas Urbig. The young German goalkeeper managed to palm the shot on the post, but Sheraldo Becker pounced on the rebound and bundled the ball into the net.
Vincent Kompany’s half time talk and substitutes does the trick in the second half
Bayern had to mount another comeback as they did against Freiburg a few weeks ago. However, it was much more difficult on Saturday as they were 3-0 down. Kompany brought on Michael Olise and Harry Kane at halftime to go for the jugular.
The visitors started the second half in the best possible way as Nicolas Jackson pulled one goal back in the 55th minute. Konrad Laimer delivered an inviting cross from the right flank. Jackson didn’t make powerful contact, but his volley had enough in it to sneak past the goalkeeper.
Die Roten kept the ball better in the second half and played with more purpose. They had to wait a bit longer for their second goal, but this goal was worth the wait. Olise curled the ball past the goalkeeper from the edge of the box in the 73rd minute. Laimer grabbed the second assist of the game through a simple pass to the French winger.
Bayern had firmly wrestled the momentum in their favour. Seven minutes later, they scored the equalizer. Jamal Musiala did well to find Michael Olise on the right flank. The French winger took the ball to the byline and delivered a dangerous cross across the face of the goal. Daniel Batz got to the ball first, but he tipped it into the path of Musiala. The German attacking midfielder calmly deposited the ball into the net from close range.
Kompany’s men showed the mentality of champions in the second half. It was inevitable that they would get the winner once Musiala scored the equaliser in the 80th minute. Fittingly, the winner came through their top scorer, Harry Kane, three minutes later. Musiala delivered an inviting cross in the box. Batz only managed to push it in the path of Kane. The English forward was never going to miss from close range.
Saturday’s 4-3 victory against Mainz could galvanize Bayern for the final few weeks of the season as they eye a treble win.
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