Bayer Leverkusen surged into the Bundesliga’s top four after a pulsating 4-3 victory over Mainz at the Mewa Arena, extending their remarkable unbeaten away run in the league to 37 matches.
Mainz, who had shipped six goals without reply in back-to-back defeats before the international break, looked set for another long afternoon as Leverkusen dominated the early exchanges.
The visitors broke the deadlock from the penalty spot when Alejandro Grimaldo coolly converted after Jonas Hofmann was tripped by Nikolas Veratschnig.
Their lead was doubled midway through the first half, with Christian Kofane finishing off a slick one-touch passing move by drilling a low strike into the bottom corner, his third goal in as many matches.
The hosts, who had drawn blanks in all three previous home fixtures this season, were handed a lifeline when Leverkusen failed to clear a long throw.
Loic Bade’s miscue fell kindly for Lee Jae-sung, who fired home to make it 2-1.
However, any hopes of a Mainz comeback were soon dented as Grimaldo struck again, guiding Hofmann’s clever pass inside the near post to restore Leverkusen’s two-goal cushion before halftime.
Paul Nebel’s looping cross almost found the net when it clipped the crossbar, but Grimaldo nearly completed a hat-trick after the interval with a fierce effort that whisked inches past the post.
Mainz found another lifeline when Arnaud Nordin’s long-range shot rattled the bar, and in the ensuing scramble, Arthur brought down Phillipp Mwene.
Former Leverkusen man Nadiem Amiri stepped up to bury the resulting penalty, cutting the deficit to 3-2 and reigniting the home crowd.
Substitute Martin Terrier, making his first Leverkusen appearance since January, appeared to seal the win with a close-range finish to make it 4-2.
But the drama was far from over, Armindo Sleb curled home a late strike in the 90th minute to set up a tense finale.
Despite the late scare, Leverkusen held on for all three points, handing Mainz a ninth consecutive home game without victory in the Bundesliga, a run stretching back to February.
For Xabi Alonso’s side, the triumph marked their third league win in a row and a fifth success in their last seven meetings with Mainz, serving as ideal preparation for their upcoming UEFA Champions League showdown with Paris Saint-Germain.
