Two goals from Jae-sung Lee took Mainz to a shock 2-1 home win over Bayern Munich on Saturday, handing coach Vincent Kompany his first league loss. Lee scored in each half against an uncharacteristically poor Bayern, who are now just four points clear after Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-0 win at Augsburg. Injuries meant Kompany was unable to call on several first team regulars including Harry Kane, Manuel Neuer, Alphonso Davies, Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry and Joao Palhinha.

Kane’s absence was particularly telling in the first half, with the league leaders dominating possession but unable to convert any of their half chances into a goal. 

Mainz boasted a better-than-expected home record against the German giants, having won three of their past four home league games over Bayern. 

The home side struck shortly before half-time, Lee taking advantage of a poor clearance from his South Korea teammate Min-Jae Kim to hammer home. 

Even with the knowledge that Leverkusen were ahead in Augsburg, Bayern came out poorer after half-time, lacking precision and energy. 

Mainz soon capitalised through Lee again. Armindo Sieb threaded a clever cross goalwards for Lee to collect before blasting home on the spin. 

Leroy Sane tapped in a deflected Joshua Kimmich shot in the 87th minute to give the league leaders hope, but Mainz held firm for a famous home win. 

The win moved Mainz, who battled relegation last season, up to sixth. 

Defending champions Leverkusen continued their recent resurgence, winning comfortably 2-0 at Augsburg, their seventh victory in a row. 

Martin Terrier put Leverkusen in front 14 minutes in, curling the ball home with his first touch after a lovely low cross from Jeremie Frimpong. 

Florian Wirtz added a second in the 40th minute when he controlled the ball, sold the Augsburg defence a dummy before skipping a shot across the grass and into the bottom corner. 

A double from Alassane Plea and goals to Robin Hack and Tim Kleindienst took Borussia Moenchengladbach to a 4-1 win over Holstein Kiel. 

Gladbach have now lost just one of their past eight league games while Kiel, playing their first season in the top flight, sit second last. 

In Saturday’s late game, promoted St Pauli host Werder Bremen, while Champions League participants Borussia Dortmund, Stuttgart and RB Leipzig are all in action on Sunday.

Germany’s Toni Kroos applauds fans at the end of the round of sixteen match between Germany and Denmark at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, June 29, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Germany winger Leroy Sane said his side could “hurt” Spain in Friday’s Euro 2024 quarter final, thanks to the impressive return of midfielder Toni Kroos.

Sane started from the bench in all three of Germany’s pool games but returned to the starting line-up at the expense of Florian Wirtz in Saturday’s last 16 win over Denmark.

With pre-tournament favourites England and France struggling despite reaching the quarter finals, Spain have emerged alongside hosts Germany as favourites for the tournament.

The only side to win all four of their games, Spain are the form team of the tournament, having scored nine goals and conceded just one.

Sane said Germany and Spain had “played the best football” of the tournament. “We need to keep control of our game, then we can hurt the Spaniards.”

Both Spain and Germany each have three Euros titles — more than any other team.

Germany lost 6-0 to Spain in the Nations League in 2020, during a desperately poor period.

After winning the 2014 World Cup and reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2016, Germany were eliminated at the group stage of the past two World Cups and lost to England in the last 16 of the Euros in 2021. “The heavy defeat hurt a lot, but that’s in the past,” Sane, who started that match in Seville, told reporters.

The 28-year-old Bayern Munich winger said 2014 World Cup winner Kroos, who returned to the national team in the lead up to Euro 2024 having retired from international football three years prior, had given Germany control again.

“Before we weren’t always stable enough, that was a big weakness of ours. “He took away that weakness with the calmness he brings with him. Now things are going well and we’re happy he’s come back and made us stronger.”

Handed his first Germany start of 2024, Sane struggled for rhythm against Denmark but provided speed running behind the lines.

The former Manchester City winger said “it is still not clear whether I will start or not,” but the team’s trust in coach Julian Nagelsmann’s decisions “is what makes us special”.

Midfielder Emre Can was the only member of Germany’s 26-man squad not to train on Tuesday, but the federation said his omission was just a precaution.

Antonio Rudiger, Manuel Neuer and Pascal Gross completed the training session despite carrying niggling injuries.