Alphonso Davies on target as Bayern Munich hit Mainz for six
Bayern Munich recovered from an early shock to hit Mainz for six with six different scorers, including Alphonso Davies, at the Allianz Arena.
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Bayern Munich 6-1 Mainz
Goals: 0-1 Boetius (6'), 1-1 Pavard (36'), 2-1 Alaba (45'), 3-1 Perisic (54'), 4-1 Coman (64'), 5-1 Lewandowski (78'), 6-1 Davies (81')
Robert Lewandowski, who struck his ninth Bundesliga hat-trick a week ago, almost had his first of Matchday 3 in the fourth minute with his shot only missing the target by inches, but it was the Mainz fans who were celebrating just a few minutes later when Jean-Paul Boetius raced in between Benjamin Pavard and Niklas Süle to head in debutant Ronael Pierre-Gabriel's cross. Bayern somewhat sluggishly tried to respond with Ivan Perisic firing wide with his first sight of goal half an hour in, before Florian Müller repelled a dangerous David Alaba free-kick. Another fine Müller save prevented an own goal from bringing Bayern level, but he could only get his fingertips to Pavard's acrobatic effort, helping it on its way in as the French defender made amends for his earlier error to equalise. Alaba then gave Bayern a half-time lead, improving on his earlier free-kick with an unstoppable effort into the top right-hand corner.
Emerging for the second half a goal to the good, there was a visible spring in Bayern's step and they increased their lead early on with Perisic meeting Pavard's right-wing cross with a header which Müller could again only help on its way in. Lewandowski thought he had scored his 15th goal in 15 meetings with Mainz, but Moussa Niakhate cleared off the line with Müller already beaten. It did not matter that the Pole – who had previously supplied all of Bayern's goals this season – was not scoring, however, as Kingsley Coman added a fourth from Joshua Kimmich's corner, although usual goalscoring business was resumed by Lewandowski with a deflected effort which made it five heading into the final ten minutes. Michael Cuisance was handed his debut by Niko Kovac, while his fellow substitutes Thomas Müller and Davies combined with the latter completing the rout for Bayern's sixth - his second Bundesliga goal.
Watch: Coutinho: "I want to keep learning at Bayern"
Match stats
- Boetius scored only his fifth Bundesliga goal, but his second against Bayern: he also scored in Mainz's 2-1 home defeat in October 2018.
- Pavard scored the first Bayern goal this season not to be scored by Lewandowski; it was only his second in the Bundesliga, and first since 29 October 2017.
- Perisic scored his first Bundesliga goal since 16 August 2015, when he scored for Wolfsburg against Frankfurt.
- Lewandowski has scored 15 times in 15 games against Mainz.
- Both of Davies' Bundesliga goals have come against Mainz.
- Mainz fielded the youngest starting XI in the Bundesliga this season, with an average age of 23.8 years compared to Bayern's 27.0.
- Bayern have won each of their last five matches against Mainz, scoring 20 goals in total and conceding just twice.
Line-ups
Bayern: Neuer (c) – Pavard, Süle, Hernandez, Alaba – Kimmich, Thiago (Cuisance 79') – Perisic (Davies 67'), Coutinho (Müller 67'), Coman – Lewandowski
Unused subs: Ulreich, Martinez, Boateng, Goretzka, Gnabry, Tolisso
Out: Arp (ill)
Coach: Niko Kovac
Mainz: Müller – Pierre-Gabriel, Hack, Niakhate, Martin – Baku, Fernandes, Latza (c) (Kunde 46') – Boetius – Onisiwo (St. Juste 83'), Burkardt (Szalai 56')
Unused subs: Zentner, Quaison, Öztunali, Maxim, Brosinski, Awoniyi
Out: Bell (ankle), Ji (knee), Mateta (knee), Meier (muscular), Mwene (knee)
Coach: Sandro Schwarz
Watch: Perisic: "The Bundesliga's getting better and better"
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