Silas Katompa Mvumpa seals victory for Mainz against RB Leipzig with a stunning solo effort
Mainz put in a brilliant away performance on Matchday 20 to take all three points from their visit to RB Leipzig, winning 2-1 at the Red Bull Arena.
RB Leipzig 1-2 Mainz
Goals: 1-0 Harder 40’ (assist: Nusa), 1-1 Amiri 45+6‘ (pen.) 1-2 Silas 49‘ (assist: Tietz)
The pressure was mounting on both sides ahead of this crucial clash, with Leipzig hoping to consolidate their position in the Champions League places while Mainz looked to continue their resurgence under Urs Fischer.
The 05ers had collected nine points from six matches since the Swiss coach took charge in December, compared to just six points from their previous 13 games.
Leipzig were forced to cope without suspended top scorer Christoph Baumgartner, with Danish forward Conrad Harder taking his place in the starting line-up, while Nadiem Amiri returned to the Mainz side after coming off the bench against Wolfsburg last weekend due to illness.
Harder header cancelled out by Amiri penalty
Mainz started brightly and had the first sight of goal when Jae-sung Lee released Benedict Hollerbach, but El Chadaille Bitshiabu made a crucial intervention to deny him. The visitors suffered a blow in the 14th minute when Hollerbach went down with no one around him and had to be replaced by Silas Katompa Mvumpa.
Leipzig gradually took control of possession but struggled to create clear chances until the 40th minute when Antonio Nusa beat Danny da Costa on the left and delivered a perfect cross for Harder, who guided his header into the bottom corner.
The hosts' lead was short-lived, however, as David Raum fouled Phillip Tietz in the box deep into first-half stoppage time. Amiri stepped up and calmly converted the penalty to equalise.
Silas stunner secures vital victory
Mainz made a dream start to the second half when Silas produced a moment of magic in the 49th minute. After receiving the ball from Tietz in his own half, he embarked on a remarkable solo run, skipping past Willi Orbán and brushing off Ridle Baku before firing low past Péter Gulácsi to give the visitors the lead.
Leipzig responded strongly with Rômulo hitting the post in the 62nd minute, his effort bouncing off the upright before da Costa cleared the danger. Ole Werner's side dominated possession and created several opportunities as they searched desperately for an equaliser. Daniel Batz made an important save from Orbán, while Kacper Potulski produced a crucial block to deny Harder.
Despite Leipzig throwing everything forward in the closing stages, Mainz held firm to secure their first away win in eight attempts and climb out of the relegation zone.
Man of the Match: Silas Katompa Mvumpa
Silas completely changed the game after coming on as an early substitute for the injured Hollerbach. Beyond the decisive strike, his direct running provided Mainz with a crucial outlet when under pressure, helping them to relieve the strain as Leipzig pushed forward.
The attacker completed four successful dribbles and maintained a constant threat on the counter-attack. Having not scored in the Bundesliga since May 2024, this match-winning performance could prove pivotal for both Silas and Mainz's survival hopes.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Leipzig 1.75 - Mainz 1.62
Fastest player: Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig), 34.11 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-0 by Conrad Harder (RB Leipzig), 18 percent
Most pressed player: Antonio Nusa (RB Leipzig), 52 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Jae-sung Lee (Mainz), +3.28
Fantasy Heroes: Antonio Nusa (RB Leipzig, 363 Points), Conrad Harder (RB Leipzig, 287 Points), Silas Katompa Mvumpa (Mainz, 258 Points)
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