By Rich
Hosts 1. FSV Mainz came from behind twice on Friday to defeat visitors Bayer 04 Leverkusen 3:2. The visitors scored first in the match, thanks to a goal from Patrik Schick in the 35th minute, but the hosts evened the score in the 57th minute with a goal from Aaron Martin. The visitors took the lead again when Lucas Alario found the net in the 74th minute, but Mainz leveled the score again in the 84th minute substitute Jean-Paul Boetius volleyed the ball into the corner of Leverkusen’s net. The match’s final goal came in the 88th minute when another substitute, Marcus Ingvartsen, poked home the late winner. Martin’s goal was his first in the Bundesliga, and the goal from Boetius was his second of the season as a substitute. Mainz have now won their last 5 Bundesliga home games, tying a record that had been set under Thomas Tuchel in 2009, and it was Mainz’ first victory over Leverkusen since 2017. The big match on Saturday will likely be the late match between hosts 1. FC Köln and visitors Eintracht Frankfurt, who are just 1 point apart in the middle of the table. Köln will hope to see the return of Anthony Modeste following last weekend’s 3:1 loss to RB Leipzig. Modeste leads his club with 14 goals this season, including 6 across his last 6 appearances. Of the 11 matches in which Modeste has scored this season, Köln have lost just 1, and they’ve lost 4 of the 11 matches without Modeste goals. The club is also set for the return of goalkeeper Timo Horn, who last appeared in November and who has taken a back seat to new number-one keeper Marwin Schwäbe. Frankfurt also lost last weekend, suffering a 2:0 defeat at home against Wolfsburg. Frankfurt have collected just 4 out of a possible 15 points in the Rückrunde, falling from 6th place to 10th place in the table. The Eagles’ Filip Kostic should be well enough to start this match, but he has yet to score in 11 attempts against Köln. Looking ahead to Sunday, Dortmund will continue its press against Bayern for league bragging rights. Both clubs are playing at home, Bayern against the hapless SpVgg Greuther Fürth, and Dortmund against a struggling Borussia Mönchengladbach. Dortmund’s Erling Haaland is set to return for his first start since Matchday 20, and Dortmund need a better result against the other Borussia this time: Gladbach won the reverse fixture 1:0. In the final match of the weekend, Leipzig will travel to nearby Hertha Berlin. Leipzig’s win over Köln last weekend moved Die Roten Bullen into the top 4 for the first time this season.
Hosts 1. FSV Mainz came from behind twice on Friday to defeat visitors Bayer 04 Leverkusen 3:2. The visitors scored first in the match, thanks to a goal from Patrik Schick in the 35th minute, but the hosts evened the score in the 57th minute with a goal from Aaron Martin. The visitors took the lead again when Lucas Alario found the net in the 74th minute, but Mainz leveled the score again in the 84th minute substitute Jean-Paul Boetius volleyed the ball into the corner of Leverkusen’s net. The match’s final goal came in the 88th minute when another substitute, Marcus Ingvartsen, poked home the late winner. Martin’s goal was his first in the Bundesliga, and the goal from Boetius was his second of the season as a substitute. Mainz have now won their last 5 Bundesliga home games, tying a record that had been set under Thomas Tuchel in 2009, and it was Mainz’ first victory over Leverkusen since 2017. The big match on Saturday will likely be the late match between hosts 1. FC Köln and visitors Eintracht Frankfurt, who are just 1 point apart in the middle of the table. Köln will hope to see the return of Anthony Modeste following last weekend’s 3:1 loss to RB Leipzig. Modeste leads his club with 14 goals this season, including 6 across his last 6 appearances. Of the 11 matches in which Modeste has scored this season, Köln have lost just 1, and they’ve lost 4 of the 11 matches without Modeste goals. The club is also set for the return of goalkeeper Timo Horn, who last appeared in November and who has taken a back seat to new number-one keeper Marwin Schwäbe. Frankfurt also lost last weekend, suffering a 2:0 defeat at home against Wolfsburg. Frankfurt have collected just 4 out of a possible 15 points in the Rückrunde, falling from 6th place to 10th place in the table. The Eagles’ Filip Kostic should be well enough to start this match, but he has yet to score in 11 attempts against Köln. Looking ahead to Sunday, Dortmund will continue its press against Bayern for league bragging rights. Both clubs are playing at home, Bayern against the hapless SpVgg Greuther Fürth, and Dortmund against a struggling Borussia Mönchengladbach. Dortmund’s Erling Haaland is set to return for his first start since Matchday 20, and Dortmund need a better result against the other Borussia this time: Gladbach won the reverse fixture 1:0. In the final match of the weekend, Leipzig will travel to nearby Hertha Berlin. Leipzig’s win over Köln last weekend moved Die Roten Bullen into the top 4 for the first time this season.
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