Berlin: German football club Mainz upset Leipzig after winning 3-0 on home soil while Borussia Dortmund shared the spoils with Werder Bremen following a 1-1 draw at the close of the 32nd round in Bundesliga.
Relegation threatened Mainz reaped crucial points to avoid relegation after goals from Pablo De Blasis, Alexandru Maxim and Ridle Baku edged Leipzig, who lost their second game in a row on Sunday, reports Xinhua news agency.
Leipzig took the reins from the kickoff and controlled the proceedings. Mainz lacked in penetration but Leipzig squandered two opportunities as Yussuf Poulsen failed to slot home Ademola Looksman’s cross before Timo Werner’s shot on the empty goal was cleared off the line.
The hosts opened the scoring against the run of the game with a foul-play penalty. Yoshinori Muto was felled inside the box allowing Pablo De Blasis to net the opener from the spot at 29 minutes played.
Leipzig missed another chance before the break as Naby Keita pulled wide from a promising position in the dying seconds of the first half.
After the restart, Leipzig continued on the front foot but they lacked in accuracy and ideas to overcome Mainz’ well-positioned defence.
Meanwhile, the hosts staged a clinical chance conversion as substitute Alexandru Maxim poked home the 2-0 lead following a back-heel pass from Muto in the 85th minute.
Nevertheless, Mainz weren’t done with the scoring and added another goal to their lead as Ridle Baku rounded off his first Bundesliga appearance with a goal to make it 3-0 on the scoreboards in the closing period.
With the victory, Mainz climbed off a relegation play-off spot and onto 14th position of the standings while Leipzig continue on the 6th place of the standings.
Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund missed the chance to jump on the 2nd place as Werder Bremen held the BVB to a 1-1 draw.
Marco Reus broke the deadlock before Thomas Delaney restored parity before half time. Dortmund pressed for the victory but the woodwork and Bremen’s in-form goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka saved the hosts one point on home turf.
Dortmund remain on the 3rd place of the standings whereas Bremen continue on 12th position.(IANS)