04/25/26 01:48:00
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04/25 13:46 CDT Bayern recovers from 3 goals down to beat Mainz for confidence
boost before PSG clash
Bayern recovers from 3 goals down to beat Mainz for confidence boost before PSG
clash
By CIARAN FAHEY
AP Sports Writer
BERLIN (AP) --- Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich survived a scare, fighting
back from three goals down to beat Mainz 4-3 on Saturday for a morale-booster
before facing Paris Saint-Germain.
Bayern goes to Paris on Tuesday for the first leg of their Champions League
semifinal and arrived in Mainz in good cheer after winning the Bundesliga last
weekend and reaching the German Cup final with a win over Bayer Leverkusen on
Wednesday.
But Mainz romped to a deserved 3-0 halftime lead against a heavily rotated
Bayern, with Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala and Michael Olise among those on the
bench.
The 18-year-old Bara Sapoko Ndiaye made his first start for Bayern.
Mainz's goals came from Dominik Kohr, Paul Nebel and Sheraldo Becker.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany sent on Kane and Olise for Luis Daz and
Aleksandar Pavlovic at the break -- all four are likely to start against PSG.
Nicolas Jackson pulled one back in the 53rd and Olise let fly with a brilliant
strike inside the far post in the 73rd. Musiala equalized in the 81st.
Kane then scored the winner two minutes later from a rebound after Daniel Batz
saved Musiala's effort.
It's only the second time Bayern has recovered from a three-goal deficit at
halftime to record a Bundesliga win. The last time was in 1976 in a 6-5 victory
over Bochum.
Heidenheim hope
Last-placed Heidenheim staved off demotion with a 2-0 win over relegation rival
St. Pauli.
Budu Zivzivadze scored early and Eren Dinki late to keep Heidenheim's hopes of
survival alive with three rounds remaining.
Second-to-last Wolfsburg was unable to capitalize on St. Pauli's loss as it
drew at home with Borussia Mnchengladbach 0-0.
Cologne remained in danger after losing at home to Leverkusen 2-1 in their
Rhine derby. Patrik Schick scored twice for the visitors.
Cologne was only five points above St. Pauli in the relegation playoff place,
while Wolfsburg was a point behind St. Pauli, and Heidenheim was three points
further back. St. Pauli hosts Wolfsburg on the final day.
The bottom two are relegated automatically, while the team that finishes third
from bottom faces a two-legged playoff against the third-place finisher in the
second division to determine which plays in the Bundesliga next season.
Champions League battle intensifies
Hoffenheim won at Hamburger SV 2-1 in the late game to move to fourth, the last
place for Champions League qualification.
Stuttgart, which is a point behind Hoffenheim, can reclaim fourth place on
Sunday when it hosts Werder Bremen.
Leverkusen's win in Cologne moved it a point behind Stuttgart.
Also on Saturday, Eintracht Frankfurt drew at Augsburg 1-1.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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