Bayern Munich suffered its first Bundesliga defeat under coach Vincent Kompany, falling 2-1 to Mainz on Saturday. The loss was attributed to defensive errors and the absence of star striker Harry Kane, who is sidelined due to injury.
In another match, Union Berlin and Bochum ended in a 1-1 draw, with the final minutes played without offense after Bochum goalkeeper Patrick Drewes was struck by an object thrown from the stands.
With Kane unavailable, Bayern struggled to create scoring opportunities. Mainz took advantage, with Lee Jae-sung netting both goals for the home side. Leroy Sane pulled one back for Bayern in the 87th minute, scoring on a rebound, but the team could not equalize.
“We faced a team full of life and spirit, and I believe we fought for every moment,” Kompany said. “We gave our best effort today, but we have performed better in the past.” The defeat narrowed Bayern’s lead in the standings to four points ahead of Bayer Leverkusen.
Bayern’s defensive lapses were costly, with the first goal coming after Kim Min-jae failed to intercept a cross, allowing Armindo Sieb to assist Lee. The second goal saw Sieb again set up Lee, who outmaneuvered Joshua Kimmich and scored past substitute goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. Sieb was on the pitch only because starting forward Jonathan Burkardt was injured in the 15th minute.
Mainz coach Bo Henriksen celebrated the victory, particularly after Bayern had defeated his team 8-1 in the previous season.
In the Union Berlin versus Bochum match, play was halted when Drewes was hit by what appeared to be a cigarette lighter from the stands. After a lengthy delay for treatment, the teams agreed to run down the clock, passing the ball among themselves for the final minutes. Bochum, currently at the bottom of the table, announced plans to protest the referee’s decision to continue the match.
In other Bundesliga action, Bayer Leverkusen secured a 2-0 victory over Augsburg, marking their seventh consecutive win in all competitions. Winger Martin Terrier scored his first goal since September, while Florian Wirtz added a second just before halftime with a low shot through a defender’s legs.
Another match was interrupted due to thick smoke from fan pyrotechnics, but resumed with Werder Bremen defeating St. Pauli 2-0 to climb to seventh place. Borussia Moenchengladbach also had a strong showing, beating Holstein Kiel 4-1.
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