Highlights
S. Stegemann
0:10
WATCH: AXEL WITSEL ON HIS WINNING GOAL
90'
+ 6
FULL TIME! MAINZ 0-1 BORUSSIA DORTMUND
Axel Witsel breathes new life into the title race. Dortmund win ugly - the hallmark of champions, dare we say - to cut the gap on leaders Bayern to four points.
Full-time
90'
+ 5
REYNA!
Superb free-kick by the American, forcing Zentner to push behind for a corner.
90'
+ 5
WIDE!
Haaland pulls a cross back for Brandt on the edge of the six-yard area, but strokes his first-time finish just wide of the far post. That would have sealed it!
90'
+ 3
90'
+ 2
JUST A YELLOW
Lucoqui goes right through the back of Bellingham who, to his credit, is quick to his feet. Had he milked that, the Mainz man might have gone down the tunnel.
90'
TIME ADDED ON
Five additional minutes at the Mewa Arena. Be kind to those fingernails, folks...
90'
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
87'
DORTMUND LEAD!!!!
Massive, massive goal for Dortmund! Reyna sends over a free kick from the left, and there's Witsel at the far post with a side-footed finish past Zentner. That's his first Bundesliga goal in over two years! BVB moving to within four points of Bayern...
85'
KNOCKING AT THE DOOR
Good spell for Mainz as Papela pings one wide. The 05ers' next attack yields a corner, but Stöger's delivery comes to nothing. Dortmund need a second wind...
84'
CHANCE!
A long throw causes problems for Dortmund. It takes Stöger by surprise, though, and he prods wide from close range.
78'
CHANGE
Tauer looked to have a nasty swelling on his forehead after that clash. Brosinski is on in his stead.
77'
Substitution
75'
CLASH OF HEADS
There's a stoppage following an aerial collision between Tauer and Bellingham. The physios are straight on. Bellingham is very groggy, but insists he's OK to continue.
73'
HAZARD WARNING
Stöger slides in on Witsel on the edge of the Mainz area. Hazard fancies this... wide!
71'
MAINZ SWITCH IT UP
After so long without playing, Mainz were always going to make changes. Boetius and Papela are on for the hosts...
71'
Substitution
71'
Substitution
69'
DOUBLE CHANGE
Reyna and Brandt join the party. Positive from Rose - he knows he has to go for it now...
69'
Substitution
69'
Substitution
68'
HAALAND!
As close as we've come to an opening goal as Haaland connects with Schulz's cut-back. It's not the cleanest of hits, but it's awkward for Zentner. He's at full stretch to beat the bouncing ball away.
66'
WAYWARD!
Malen collects a pass across the box from Hazard. He has space to pick his spot, but shanks horribly off target from 12 yards.
64'
ARE YOU NEUER IN DISGUISE?
Dortmund go long for Hazard, but Zentner's out of his box to head clear. Superb reading of the play from the Bundesliga's stingiest goalkeeper on home soil.
62'
NOT GIVEN
Mainz want a penalty after Onisiwo goes down challenging for an aerial ball with Can, but the referee is unmoved. The game is warming up nicely...
60'
WIDMER!
Lucoqui wriggles clear and digs out a cross. It travels right across the six-yard box, with Widmer arriving at the back post to force a fairly routine save from Kobel.
58'
HAALAND USUALLY MEANS GOALS
Sixteen goals in 15 Bundesliga games so far this season, at a rate of one every 73 minutes. Mainz have been warned...
57'
HERE'S ERLING!
Dortmund make the first change as Wolf heads off. Haaland will play through the middle, flanked by Hazard and Malen.
57'
Substitution
56'
MAGIC SPONGE NEEDED
Burkardt's down following a clash of knees with Bellingham. Haaland is about to come on for BVB...
51'
A WHISKER AWAY!
Stach has a go from the corner of the Dortmund area. It's travelling - Kobel can't get there - but the ball sails agonisingly wide of the upright.
50'
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAINZ!
1. FSV Mainz 05 - to give them their full name - were founded 117 years ago today, on 16 March 1905. Now you know where they're nicknamed the 05ers.
49'
SUSPENSION
Stach collects his fifth yellow card of the season, and will be missing for the game against Bielefeld.
46'
AWAY WE GO AGAIN!
The teams return to the field of play to the tune of the A-Team. Will they bring their A-games after such an attritional first half?
Kick-off!
45'
+ 4
GOALLESS AT THE BREAK
No clear-cut chances just. This one needs a Haaland-shaped spark...
Half-time
45'
+ 3
ANOTHER BOOKING
Pongracic receives a caution for a high boot on Lucoqui. Seemed harsh - he was trying to get something on a Hazard free-kick.
45'
WIDE
Stöger sends the resultant free-kick over the Dortmund wall and wide of Kobel's left-hand post. Not sure the BVB No.1 would have got there...
44'
NO DAHOUD
Dahoud goes into the book for a challenge on Onisiwo, who milks it somewhat. The Dortmund midfielder will now be suspended for Sunday's trip to Cologne.
43'
TEMPERS FLARE
Niakhate goes in a touch hard on Malen. Argy-bargy ensues, with Bell and Wolf booked for their part in the melee.
41'
BRUISING ENCOUNTER
Witsel hits the deck now, after having his feet stepped on by Lucoqui. That was all about momentum, though - no malice whatsoever.
36'
NIAKHATE PLAYING ON
Relief for the Mainz camp - Niakhate is on his feet and moving freely.
34'
NIAKHATE DOWN
The physios are on to attend to Niakhate, who has gone down with what looks like an ankle injury. Svensson could do without this...
31'
SCRAMBLE!
Stöger rescues a mishit Onisiwo cross, redirecting the ball with interest towards the six-yard box. Kobel fumbles the cross under pressure from a red shirt... Can clears in front of the goal-line, before the whistle sounds for an earlier foul on the BVB keeper.
30'
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
27'
CHANCE!
Nico Schulz runs into trouble in the Mainz half. Burkardt leads the charge as the 05ers break, dinking a pass into the feet of Onisiwo to the right of the BVB area. The Austrian pings in a low cross, with Burkardt directing it goalwards from close range but Can makes another big block.
25'
NOT MUCH IN IT
Goal attempts
3off target
0on target
1off target
1on target
25'
Possession (%)
4060
22'
PICKING UP
After Kevin Stöger sends a speculative effort off target from range, Dortmund go on the offensive with Nico Schulz. He slips a ball in behind Widmer for the run of Hazard, whose first-time shot doesn't trouble Zentner at his near post.
21'
BELLINGHAM!
Bellingham robs Lucoqui of possession on the corner of the Mainz area. The Dortmund midfielder cuts inside and winds up a shot with his left foot, only for Lucoqui to make a fine recovery challenge and make the block.
16'
BREAKAWAY CHANCE!
Anton Stach drives up the centre of the field. The Mainz midfielder has men left and right as he reaches the edge of the BVB area, but a heavy touch lets him down and Can is able to get a foot in.
12'
RING RUST? WHAT RING RUST?
It's 18 days since Mainz last played competitively, but they're holding their own in the early stages, circulating possession very well indeed.
8'
WOLF ON THE HUNT
Passlack aims long for Wolf - who scored the only goal against Arminia - but Zentner gets there first.
7'
MALEN OK
At least for now...
5'
MALEN DOWN
Malen attempts a bump and run round Bell, who slides in to toe the ball clear on the edge of the area. The Dortmund forward goes down clutching a knee as Rose looks on pensively from the touchline...
4'
CAN CAN
Onisiwo on the charge yet again, but if anyone can stop him, it's the experienced Emre Can. Crucial intervention.
3'
KOBEL CLEARS
Ingvartsen attempts to play in Onisiwo over the top, but Kobel's out of his area to clear. The Dortmund stopper has kept clean sheets in three of his last four, despite BVB's personnel problems.
1'
UNDER WAY!
Dortmund kick us off in Mainz. Can they close the gap on Bayern?
Kick-off!
POIGNANT START
The players hold up a banner, in the colours of the Ukraine flag, that reads, 'You'll Never Walk Alone', before assembling on either side of the centre circle for a moment's reflection following the death of former DFB president Egidius Braun.
HAPPY HUNTING GROUND
However, Dortmund have taken 16 points from their last six games in Mainz (W5, D1), and only dropped points in two of the last 11 visits (W9, D1, L1). Something has to give!
FORTRESS MEWA ARENA
Mainz have the best home defence in the division with only seven goals conceded in 12 games at the MEWA Arena. Next best are Bayern and Bochum with 12 each from 12 matches. They're also unbeaten in 11 of 12 on their own patch, only losing to Union Berlin on Matchday 7.
ROSE TALKS UP MAINZ QUALITY
"Everyone knows how strong Mainz are at home," said Dortmund boss Marco Rose. "They're well organised and can play football. That's the challenge that awaits, but if we hold our own and play a good game, we can get a positive result. We want to increase the gap to the teams below us and cut the gap above us."
2:03
WATCH: DORTMUND 3-1 MAINZ
SVENSSON WARY OF HAALAND EFFECT
"We're playing against a top team, who have a chance to make the title race exciting once again," opined Mainz head coach Bo Svensson at his pre-match press conference. "They'll be really motivated, and Haaland is back. He's a game-changer. He has so many good qualities - he's a complete player, and his attitude rubs off on the whole team."
2:03
WATCH: BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-0 ARMINIA BIELEFELD
MORE ON THOSE TEAMS
Mainz are without suspended duo Dominik Kohr and Alexander Hack, so Kevin Stöger and Niklas Tauer come into the midfield and defence respectively. Anderson Lucoqui begins at left-back, while Marcus Ingvartsen is preferred to Lee Jae-sung in the two other changes to the side that lost to Union Berlin on Matchday 24. As for Dortmund, it's the same XI that lined up against Bielefeld, meaning Haaland is among the substitutes once more.
DORTMUND - THE STORY SO FAR
BVB have lost just one of their eight Bundesliga fixtures in 2022, drawing one and winning six. Captain Marco Reus missed the 1-0 win over Arminia Bielefeld, but Erling Haaland and Gio Reyna returned as susbtitutes in that game. They could be key as the Black-Yellows attempt to reel in leaders Bayern down the back straight.
MAINZ - THE STORY SO FAR
The last time Mainz played was in a 3-1 loss at Union Berlin in February, continuing their trend of dropping points on the road but keeping all three at the MEWA Arena. They have won their last five games here and are unbeaten in eight on home soil. It’s that form that has ensured a worry-free campaign so far, with Bo Svensson’s team 11 points above the bottom three and 10 off fourth – with two games in hand.
WELCOME!
We have some midweek delight in store as Mainz host Borussia Dortmund in their rearranged Matchday 25 encounter. The 05ers are back in action after almost two weeks off due to covid-related protocol, while BVB have the opportunity to trim Bayern Munich's lead to four points with a win. Stay tuned!