Preview - Bayer Leverkusen vs Mainz 05 23 September 18

[Harry85]

Match Day 4
Bayer Leverkusen vs Mainz 05
Sunday, September 23rd, 2018
22:30pm (GMT+8 Timing)
Stadium: BayArena

Bayer Leverkusen:   
Last five matches form: D W L L L
Average goals per match: 0.67
Average goals against per match: 2.67
Top Scorer: Wendell & Leon Bailey (1)

Mainz 05:
Last five matches form: W L W D W
Average goals per match: 1.33
Average goals against per match: 0.67
Top Scorer: Anthony Ujah (2)

Bayer Leverkusen will be pretty strong favourites to win this one in most people's eyes. It's pretty tough to see why on this seasons form so far though. Leverkusen sit rock bottom of the Bundesliga after three games having lost to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich. That's admittedly a tough opening, but they face an unbeaten side in Mainz 05 here.

It was honours even between the sides last season, Leverkusen winning this game 3-1 but Mainz picking up a 2-0 win on home soil.

Plenty of absentees for both sides here. Leverkusen will be missing the injured Joel Pohjanpalo, Julian Baumgartlinger, Panagiotis Retsos and Charls Aránguiz, in addition to the suspended Karim Belarabi. Mainz must do without Emil Berggreen, Danny Latza, René Adler and Alexander Hack.

Leverkusen did pick up a decent win at Ludogorets in the Europa League in midweek which may have helped restore a bit of confidence. The other side of the coin though is that Mainz may just be the fresher side here having had a free week in which to prepare.

Bayer Leverkusen have won just three of their past eight at home in the Bundesliga.

Mainz overall record away from home is dire though; winning just two of their past eighteen.

A match which could go either way, but overall that poor away record for Mainz just sways us towards the home side.



Prediction: Bayer Leverkusen 2 - 1 Mainz 05

[Harry85]

Half time: 0 - 0
Full time: 1 - 0
Shots:  13 - 10
Shots on target: 8 - 6
Corner Kicks: 7 - 4
Possession: 48% - 52%

Sven Bender and Domink Kohr were booked for the home side in this one, with referee Marco Fritz also taking the names of Levin Oztunali and Stefan Bell of Mainz.

Not much to choose between the sides at all at the BayArena. Despite the low score line this was a game of more chances than perhaps expected as both sides did go for the win. Only one of those was taken though and as ever the ability to take that chance ultimately determined the destination of the points. It may have been a narrow margin of victory, but this was really big win for the home side who had begun the season in most disappointing fashion.

Mainz shouldn't be too disheartened as they did give it a good go - a fact borne out by the stats - against a side who are certainly a deal better than their early season position would imply.

Bayer Leverkusen were certainly up for this one and thoroughly dominated the opening half, racking up a deluge of efforts on goal. Ironically they had to wait until the second half - in which Mainz were the better side - before they got their much needed goal.

The only goal of the game came in the 62nd minute. Good work from Julian Brandt down the right hand side to find space and pick out Kai Havertz on the edge of the six yard box. The youngster finding himself in acres of space and confidently dispatching a header past Florian Muller.

Bayer Leverkusen move up to 15th and out of the relegation zone on the back of this win. Mainz sip to seventh.