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Mainz upset drops Bayern to 3rd spot

Comment: 0 November 28th, 2011 by: admin

MAINZ played the role of spoilers on Sunday by pipping Bayern Munich 3-2 at home in the Bundesliga.

Prior to the fixture, Bayern had a chance to regain leadership but wasted the opportunity as they dropped to third spot after absorbing their second straight league loss.

They are now one point off defending champions Borussia Dortmund, who beat them 1-0 last week. Dortmund pace the field, just ahead of Borussia Monchengladbach on goal difference.

Andreas Ivanschitz, Marco Caligiuri and Niko Bungert found the target for Mainz, while Daniel van Buyten hit both goals for Bayern.

Mainz manager Thomas Tuchel said they were on the right path following the win. ‘Today we were cool, smart and clever. You have to pay the team a huge compliment.’

On the other hand, Bayern sporting director Christian Nerlinger lamented the loss. ‘From the last five games we’ve lost three. It’s no longer running the way it used to.’

Bayern captain Philipp Lahm was also dejected. ‘We made it easy for Mainz. You have to give it everything. Otherwise you lose an away game like this.’

Mainz, who rose to 13^th spot in the table, looked in higher spirits in their first game since Nov. 4 after last week’s fixture at Cologne was called off after the referee who was supposed to officiate the game attempted suicide at his hotel room.

The first goal for Mainz came in the 11^th minute when Ivanschitz got a perfect assist from Nicolai Muller and then rounded Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and slotted home from a narrow angle.

Bayern got the equaliser from Van Buyten in the 56^th but Mainz made it 2-1 in the 65^th when Caligiuri’s 30-meter shot blew past Neuer.  Bungert added his claim though a header in the 74^th before Van Buyten struck in the 79^th for the final count.

Neuer showed his frustration after the game, saying they have the quality but failed to show it against Mainz. ‘We let ourselves get caught up in the hustle and bustle.’

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