Mighty Bayern strike six past Mainz

Mueez Ajao

– Bayern Munich demolished visitors Mainz 6-2 on Saturday, with Sadio Mane scoring once and setting up two more goals, to take over the lead in the Bundesliga.

– Mane, who scored in Bayern’s 3-0 midweek win at Barcelona in the Champions League, also missed a penalty. Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala and Leon Goretzka were also on target for Bayern along with substitute Mathys Tel and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

– Mainz cut the deficit twice, with goals from Silvan Widmer and Marcus Ingvartsen, after also missing a penalty.

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– The champions went two points clear at the top of the league with 25.

– Bayern powered into an early lead with Gnabry completing a quick passing move in the fifth minute but Mainz moved instantly forward, with Jonathan Burkardt repeatedly testing Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich.

– It was Bayern, however, who scored again with Musiala threading in a shot to finish off another quick Bayern move.

– Musiala, a firm candidate for Germany’s World Cup squad, has now scored seven league goals, as many as Mane, and set up another four.

– Mainz came agonisingly close to pulling back a goal when Burkardt rattled the crossbar with a shot and Lee Jae-sung thundered the rebound on to the post in the 31st.

– Mane did much better on his rebound effort a little later, slotting in after Mainz’s Robin Zentner had parried his penalty.

– Mainz, who had won their previous three games in all competitions, bagged a deserved goal in first-half stoppage time when Widmer headed in from a corner after Ulreich had saved a spot kick to deny Burkardt.

– Bayern, who also hit the woodwork with Choupo-Moting and Musiala in the second half, did not let up and Mane curled in a superb cross in the 58th for Goretzka to head in. Two more Bayern goals either side of Ingvartsen’s effort completed the rout.