Bayern Munich played hosts to 7th-placed Mainz at the Allianz Arena in the Bundesliga on Saturday afternoon, October 29, 2022.
A win for the defending champions would send them back to the top of the league, pending the outcome of Union Berlin's encounter against Borussia Monchengladbach on Sunday.
And it was the hosts who opened the scoring as early as five minutes into the game, as Sadio Mane found Serge Gnabry who fired past Robin Zentner to give Bayern a 1-0 lead over Mainz.
The hosts continued to dominate proceedings in the opening 20 minutes and soon found themselves celebrating once more.
Cameroon International striker Eric Maxim Chuopo-Moting found Jamal Musiala in the 24th minute who blazed a shot away from the edge of the box and into the back of the net to put Bayern 2-0 up.
And the Bavarians added a third after VAR awarded the hosts a penalty in the 43rd minute.
Sadio Mane stepped up and after missing his initial kick, made no mistake with the rebound to pull Bayern 3-0 clear two minutes before half-time.
However, the visitors pulled a goal back in stoppage time of the first period after VAR awarded them a penalty as well, with Silvan Widmer stepping up and scoring his spot kick.
At halftime, it was Julian Nagelsmann in charge with a comfortable 3-1 lead.
The second half resumed and Bayern continued from where they left off in the first with Sadio Mane once again finding Leon Goretzka who in turn found the back of the net in the 58th minute to restore their three-goal lead.
Mainz tried to create a couple of chances for themselves to reduce the deficit knowing there was virtually no way back, having gone down by three goals.
But the hosts continued to dominate and soon extended their lead again in the 79th minute after second-half substitute Mathys Tel, weaved his way past a few defenders and unleashed a shot from the edge of the box, which was deflected and goes into the back of the net to put the hosts 5-1 up.
Mainz eventually found the back of the net in the 82nd minute after a mistake from Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, who gifted Marcus Ingvartsen an easy tap in into the back of the net to reduce the deficit.
But Julian Nagelsmann's men will not back down and would soon round up the demolition in the 86th minute after Kingsley Coman found Chuopo-Moting who dispatched clinically.
In the end, it finished at the Allianz Arena, 6-2 in favour of Bayern who are now at the top of the Bundesliga summit pending the outcome of Union Berlin's match on Sunday.
Social Media Reactions
Following the win for Bayern Munich fans have taken to social media to praise Sadio Mane who was sensational for the hosts on Saturday.
Mane scored a goal and assisted two more on the afternoon against Mainz.
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