Mainz clinch European place with Leverkusen draw | OneFootball

Mainz secure European spot in entertaining draw with Bayer Leverkusen

Mainz secured European football for next season with an exciting 2-2 draw against Bayer Leverkusen as Xabi Alonso signed off with his unbeaten away record intact.

WANT MORE NEWS LIKE THIS? FIND MORE ARTICLES ON THE OFFICIAL BUNDESLIGA APP.

Mainz, under Bo Henriksen, were aiming to secure their place in next season's UEFA Conference League play-offs, knowing that they only had to match RB Leipzig's result against VfB Stuttgart. Leverkusen, already secure in second place, were bidding farewell to head coach Alonso and defender Jonathan Tah and hoping to set a new Bundesliga record for successive away games without loss.

Mainz came out of the gates with real energy, creating several chances in the opening minutes with both Jonathan Burkardt and Paul Nebel coming close to opening the scoring early on. The hosts dominated the first half and had the ball in the net three times in the opening 34 minutes, only for each to be disallowed. Nadiem Amiri and Jae-sung Lee saw their goals ruled out for offside, while Andreas Hanche-Olsen's effort was chalked off due to a foul on the goalkeeper. Finally, in the 35th minute, Nebel broke the deadlock after some good combination play with Amiri, giving Mainz a deserved 1-0 lead at half-time.

Nebel's goal was the fourth time that Mainz had had the ball in the net during the first half. (Pau Barrena)

Leverkusen's second-half resurgence

The second half saw a dramatic shift in momentum. Leverkusen came out rejuvenated, and their efforts were quickly rewarded. Patrik Schick equalised from the penalty spot in the 49th minute after a foul by Hanche-Olsen, and just five minutes later, Schick struck again, heading home a cross from Aleix García to give Leverkusen a 2-1 lead. With Leipzig bettering Mainz's result at that moment, the hosts were in danger of missing out on European football.

Patrik Schick finished the season as the league's joint second top scorer with 21 goals. (JM)

Mainz fight back

Mainz, however, showed remarkable resilience. In the 63rd minute, they were awarded a penalty after a foul on Lee. Burkardt stepped up and confidently converted, bringing the scores level at 2-2. The final half-hour was a tense affair, with both sides pushing for a winner. Mainz thought they had found it late on through Stefan Bell, but for the fourth time in the match, their celebrations were cut short by a handball decision. As news filtered through of Stuttgart's victory over Leipzig, the Mainz fans began to celebrate, knowing their team had secured a shot at European football for next season.

Jonathan Burkardt's leveller was his 18th goal of the season. (IMAGO/Frey-Pressebild/Deines)

Player of the Match: Paul Nebel

Paul Nebel was the standout performer, embodying Mainz's fighting spirit throughout the match. His goal in the first half, his tenth of the season, was a just reward for an impressive display, showcasing both his attacking prowess and work rate. Nebel's ability to create chances and maintain pressure on the Leverkusen defence was integral in securing the draw, capping off a remarkable season for both the player and the club.

Bundesliga Match FactsxGoals: Mainz 2.6 - Leverkusen 1.9Fastest player: Nikolas Veratschnig (Mainz), 35.74 km/hLowest goal probability: 1-0 by Paul Nebel (Mainz), 16 percentMost pressed player: Paul Nebel (Mainz), 21 times under pressurePass efficiency: Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), +1.41

Fantasy Heroes: Paul Nebel (Mainz, 298 Points), Nadiem Amiri (Mainz, 253 Points), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen, 293 Points)

LIKED THE ARTICLE? FIND MORE ARTICLES ON THE OFFICIAL BUNDESLIGA APP.