Harry Kane penalty rescues point for Bayern Munich against resilient Mainz
A late Harry Kane penalty salvaged a point for Bayern Munich against bottom club Mainz as new coach Urs Fischer saw his side put in a resilient performance at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern 2-2 MainzGoals: 1-0 Karl 29’ (assist Gnabry), 1-1 Potulski 45+2’ (assist: Bøving), 1-2 Lee 67’ (assist: Bell), 2-2 Kane pen. 87’
Bayern looked to continue their remarkable Bundesliga campaign, entering Matchday 14 with an unprecedented record of 12 wins and one draw. However, omens weren't favourable - the record champions had suffered their first league defeat on Matchday 14 in each of the past two seasons.
Bottom-placed Mainz arrived with new coach Fischer at the helm, hoping for a fresh start despite having scored just 11 goals in 13 matches. His first game in charge was a 1-1 draw against Lech Poznań in the UEFA Conference League.
The match unfolded as expected early on, with Bayern controlling possession while Mainz defended doggedly. The first real danger came in the 17th minute when Jae-sung Lee's header hit the crossbar for Mainz, although the South Korean didn't necessarily know much about his shot, as the ball was headed against him.
Michael Olise caused all sorts of problems down the Bayern right in the first half, delivering a superb cross in the 20th minute that found Harry Kane, but Batz produced a brilliant save. The breakthrough finally came in the 29th minute when Lennart Karl tapped home from close range after excellent work from Olise, Kane and Serge Gnabry.
Despite continued pressure, Bayern couldn't extend their lead, and they were punished in stoppage time when Kacper Potulski headed home William Bøving's free-kick to level the scores.
Bayern continued to dominate proceedings after the break, but struggled to find openings against Fischer's well-organised side. Alphonso Davies made his Bundesliga return just after the hour mark as Vincent Kompany made a triple substitution to inject fresh energy. Bayern went close in the 64th minute when Gnabry's shot was saved by Batz before Kane's follow-up was desperately cleared off the line.
Against the run of play, Mainz stunned the hosts when Lee met Stefan Bell's cross with a perfectly placed header beyond Manuel Neuer. Bayern threw everything forward, with Vincent Kompany bringing on Nicolas Jackson for Minjae Kim in a tactical gamble. Salvation came late on when Potulski pulled Kane's shirt in the box, and the England captain made no mistake from the spot to rescue a point.
Man of the Match: Lennart Karl
The 17-year-old midfielder continued to enhance his growing reputation with another excellent performance. Not only did Karl open the scoring with a well-taken finish in the 29th minute, but he was also instrumental in Bayern's build-up play throughout the match.
Having recently made history as the youngest player to score in three consecutive Champions League games, Karl brought that confidence into this Bundesliga fixture, registering the first attempt on target and later providing a crucial pass that led to a golden opportunity for Gnabry. His energy, technical ability, and game intelligence belied his young age as he covered significant ground in both defensive and attacking phases.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Bayern 4.72 - Mainz 1.07
Fastest player: Konrad Laimer (Bayern), 34.63 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-2 by Jae-sung Lee (Mainz), 18 per cent
Most pressed player: Michael Olise (Bayern), 54 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Manuel Neuer (Bayern), +3.73
Fantasy Heroes: Serge Gnabry (Bayern, 340 Points), Harry Kane (Bayern, 324 Points), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern, 285 Points)
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