Bayer Leverkusen missed the opportunity to threaten Borussia Dortmund’s second place after seeing their four-game winning streak truncated this Friday by losing 3-2 to Mainz, in a match in which the visitors were worth nothing to get ahead in twice on the scoreboard.
Mainz showed that they not only stand out for their defensive strength, as evidenced by their status as the team with the fewest goals in the Bundesliga, but they also have a dangerous attack, in which the Spanish full-back Aarón Martín played a leading role.
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If in the first half the incursions down the left flank by the Espanyol youth squad did not find a finisher, in the second Aaron Martín showed that he stands out for his verticality and because he has a magnificent shot with the ball.
He showed it at 57 minutes in a sensational free-kick that served the locals to equalize the goal of the Czech Patrick Schick that allowed Bayer Leverkusen to reach the break in an advantage (0-1).
A goal not without some fortune since the long shot Schick, who added his twentieth goal of the season, ended up in the net after hitting French central defender Moussa Niakhate in the leg.
But neither Mainz nor Aarón Martín were willing to leave empty-handed in a match in which the locals had reached the rival area more and with more danger than Leverkusen in the first forty-five minutes.
Only the lack of success of the Dane Bo Svensson, determined to crash with the visiting goalkeeper, the Finnish Lukas Hradecky, explained the advantage of a Bayer Leverkusen, which was nothing like the overwhelming team that had won the victory in their four previous league commitments.
Aaron Martín’s free-kick goal seemed to give wings to the locals, who three minutes later, in the 60th, were able to get ahead on the scoreboard in a lateral free kick launched by the Spanish player that Austrian striker Karim Onisiwo headed into the net.
A goal that did not get on the scoreboard, after seeing how the referee, at the request of the VAR, annulled the play for offside.
A blow for Mainz, who almost without reaction time found themselves behind again in the light after the goal of Argentine Lucas Alario, who replaced the injured Schick and who signed the momentary 1-2 at 74 minutes.
But the locals did not give up and managed to definitively turn the match around with goals from the Dutchman Jean-Paul Boëtius and the Danish Marcus Ingvartsen, who established the final 3-2 with two minutes to go.
A result that ended the streak of those of the Swiss coach of Spanish origin Gerardo Seoane, who lost the opportunity to approach a Borussia Dortmund that occupies second place with five points more than Bayer Levekusen and that has one less game.