Bayern Munich complete stunning comeback from 3-0 down to beat Mainz
Bayern Munich produced a remarkable second-half comeback to overturn a three-goal deficit and secure a 4-3 victory away to Mainz on Saturday. The newly-crowned Bundesliga champions, who had made eight changes to their starting lineup, were stunned by a dominant first-half performance from the hosts before a trio of substitutes inspired a dramatic turnaround.
According to match reports, Mainz took full advantage of a rotated Bayern side, with Vincent Kompany prioritizing Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain. The hosts scored their first from a corner in the 15th minute through Dominik Kohr and added two more before halftime, with Paul Nebel and Sheraldo Becker capitalizing on rebounds from Nadiem Amiri's attempts. Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig, making a rare start, was left exposed by his defense during a difficult opening period.
The introduction of Harry Kane and Michael Olise at the start of the second half changed the complexion of the match. Nicolas Jackson began the comeback in the 55th minute, scoring his tenth goal of the season after a move involving Olise and Konrad Laimer. Olise then took center stage, firing in a spectacular strike to make it 3-2 before his dangerous delivery led to Jamal Musiala's close-range equalizer with ten minutes remaining.
The winner arrived just three minutes later, as Musiala's cross was parried by Mainz goalkeeper Daniel Batz directly into the path of Kane, who tapped in from close range. The victory marks only the second time in Bayern's Bundesliga history that they have won a match after trailing by three or more goals, with the previous instance occurring in 1976.
The result underscores the depth and resilience within the Bayern squad as they navigate a congested fixture list. For Mainz, it represents a devastating collapse after a performance that had threatened to continue their strong recent record against the champions. The win provides a significant morale boost for Bayern ahead of their crucial European fixture in Paris, demonstrating their capacity to fight back under pressure despite fielding a weakened team.
