Bayern Munich returned from the two-week-long Christmas break looking rusty. But they shot on all cylinders when they battled back in a rip-roaring Bundesliga game on Sunday. They came back from two goals down to defeat second-bottom Mainz 5-2.
Jonathan Burkardt fired Mainz ahead with a superb finish from 15 meters against the run of play. He shook off Jerome Boateng and Alexander Hack made it 2-0 from Daniel Brosinski’s cross with a thumping header. Shortly after the break, Danny Latza missed a golden opportunity to add a third for Mainz. His shot was forced by Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to the post.
As Lewandowski nodded a Serge Gnabry cross into his direction, Joshua Kimmich pulled one back. A close-range header before Leroy Sane equalized in the bottom right corner with a scorcher from 20 meters. Once again, the visitors came agonizingly close to stunning Bayern as Robin Quaison rattled the underside of the bar.
A long-range thunderbolt and immediately took advantage of ruthless Bayern once again. Half-time substitute Niklas Suele reversed the tide. Then Lewandowski forced Mainz into submission, he volleyed home from within the area through a forest of bodies. After Leandro Barreiro brought down Gnabry with a late tackle, Lewandoski converted a penalty. And then bundled in a Thomas Mueller cross as Mainz collapsed in the final 20 minutes.
The result left Bayern on 33 points from 14 games, two more than second-placed RB Leipzig who were 1-0 winners at Vfb Stuttgart on Saturday.
