Jamal Musiala rescued two points for Bayern Munich after producing a stunning display in a 2-1 victory over Mainz on Saturday.
Bayern Munich extended their lead at the top to six points after securing a hard-fought 2-1 win over 1.FSV Mainz on Saturday. The victory capped off an excellent weekend for the Bavarians, who were helped by Borussia Dortmund’s 1-1 draw with VfL Bochum and are now six points clear of their closest competitors, at the top of the Bundesliga table.
As the scoreline, it was not the best of games for Bayern Munich, who lacked the commitment and aggression we usually associate with them. It allowed Mainz to make waves, especially on the counter, as the prolific strike-duo of Jonathan Burkardt and Karim Onisiwo caused a myriad of problems for the defence.
The latter even scored the first goal of the afternoon, as he latched on to a cross from Burkardt in the 22nd minute to hand Mainz a 1-0 lead. Bayern were far from their best, but they were given a couple of good opportunities in the first half.
The Bavarians were a bit better in the second half, as they pushed even harder for the equaliser. They were rewarded in the 53rd minute when Kingsley Coman scored the leveller before Jamal Musiala eventually netted the winner in the 74th minute with a clinical finish from the edge of the penalty area. It was enough to seal all three points for his team. Here, at The Hard Tackle, we will rank the Bayern Munich players in their narrow win over Mainz.
Manuel Neuer: 6.5/10
Manuel Neuer could not have done anything to stop Karim Onisiwo from scoring the close-range header in the first half. But he did extremely well to keep things tidy in goal, and his ability to play the ball upfield was crucial to Bayern’s build-up play from the back.
Benjamin Pavard: 7/10
Benjamin Pavard largely operated as the right-sided centre-back after a solid midweek display against FC Barcelona. He was relatively more disciplined and was not completely outmanoeuvred by the sharp attacking Mainz team.
Also if we're going to burn Pavard when he's horrible, we have to recognise when he's good. 3 consecutive good games now? pic.twitter.com/B2OJiX6QA8
— Aniket (@SweeperKeeperMN) December 11, 2021
Dayot Upamecano: 6/10
It was yet another sketchy performance from Dayot Upamecano, who often tends to struggle in tense situations. This time, it was Jonathan Burkardt running rings around him to deliver the cross for Onisiwo. However, the centre-back did improve after that, keeping things tidy at the back.
Lucas Hernandez: 6.5/10
Lucas Hernandez was another Bayern defender who was all over the place when Bayern conceded the goal. But the Frenchman was the first to pick himself up and improve his game after Mainz’s early pressure. He was eventually subbed off around the hour mark.
Alphonso Davies: 7.5/10
Alphonso Davies caused terror on the far side with his pace and dynamism allowing Leroy Sane to play his natural game and drift infield. He offered good balls forward and even made runs into the byline to provide crosses into the box.
Jamal Musiala: 8/10
With Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich ruled out, Jamal Musiala showcased his adaptability to thrive in central midfield. He offered a creative spark to Bayern Munich while making minimal errors in possession. His brilliant performance was capped off by an excellent late goal that helped the Bavarians capture all three points.
Jamal Musiala in the Bundesliga this season:
⏰ 512 minutes
⚽️ 3 goals
?️ 3 assistsStill producing despite being used in a deeper role. ?? pic.twitter.com/SiFrFraRgU
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) December 11, 2021
Corentin Tolisso: 7.5/10
Corentin Tolisso started the game poorly as he looked very sloppy with his passing and positioning. But the Frenchman picked himself up very well and improved considerably as the game progressed. It was his majestic diagonal ball that led Kingsley Coman’s equaliser shortly after the restart.
Kingsley Coman: 7.5/10
Kingsley Coman was arguably one of Bayern’s least impressive performers in the first half. He looked sloppy in the final third and even missed an excellent goalscoring opportunity. In addition, he conceded the turnover that led to Mainz’s opener. But the winger made amends in the second half by scoring the equaliser.
Thomas Muller: 6/10
It was not the best of afternoons for Thomas Muller, who struggled to influence the game in the final third. His positioning sense was always a bonus for the home side, but apart from that, the German failed to showcase his attacking brilliance to the game.
Leroy Sane: 6/10
Leroy Sane was another player who struggled to get involved in the proceedings. The winger was not very influential with his attacking runs in the final third, leading to a rather unimpressive afternoon, from his perspective.
Robert Lewandowski: 6/10
As we had predicted in our preview, Mainz were going to have no problems keeping Robert Lewandowski in check. That was the case on Saturday, as the Pole was offered very little freedom in the final third. As a result, he failed to find the target.
? @Lewy_Official still leading, but remember… ??
Patrik #Schick scored 4️⃣ goals last week. ? pic.twitter.com/1FGb88WERU
— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) December 11, 2021
SUBSTITUTES
Serge Gnabry: 6.5/10
Serge Gnabry replaced Sane to add more freshness and energy in the final third. He looked bright after coming on, helping Bayern push for the winner.
Niklas Sule: 7/10
Niklas Sule was certainly the pick of the Bayern substitutes as the German international excelled in ball distribution after coming on for Hernandez in the 65th minute.
Marc Roca: 6.5/10
Marc Roca was given a rare opportunity to perform in midfield, as he replaced Tolisso midway through the second half. His control and composure in the middle of the park were essential in helping Bayern stay on top of the game.
Tanguy Nianzou: N/A
A late replacement for Musiala, Nianzou did not play enough to warrant a rating.
