"Who would have thought beforehand that it would've taken a Harry Kane penalty with three minutes left to play to prevent Bayern's first defeat of the Bundesliga season at home to bottom-of-the-table Mainz? The record champions were more than dominant and superior throughout the entire match against the 05ers, but the visitors defended with discipline and passion from kick-off right through to the seventh minute of added time."
"Only two wins from their last 21 Bundesliga games meant a change of coach to Urs Fischer and what amounted to a somewhat makeshift line-up. The omens could hardly have been worse against Bayern, who had last lost their final home game of the year way back in 1987. And so the expected scenario unfolded immediately. Bayern moved the ball confidently through their own ranks, while Mainz sat rigidly in two defensive lines deep in front of their own goal to seal off the spaces."
Bayern dominated possession and territory for much of the match but were repeatedly denied by Mainz's disciplined, two-line defending. Mainz defended with passion and discipline from kick-off through seven minutes of stoppage time and converted two goals from three chances, including clinical finishing on the few forays into Bayern's half. A Harry Kane penalty with three minutes remaining rescued a 2-2 draw for Bayern, allowing them to extend their lead at the top of the Bundesliga. Mainz arrived with only two wins from their last 21 league games and a new coach, Urs Fischer, while Hiroki Ito returned to Bayern's starting XI.
Read at FC Bayern
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