Brilliant Mane and Choupo-Moting propel Bayern Munich past Mainz in Bundesliga

• Mane brilliant for dominant Bayern
• Jonathan Burkardt failed to score for Mainz from the spot
• Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting also on target

WHAT HAPPENED? The Senegal forward was hugely involved as Bayern broke the deadlock in the sixth minute. Leon Goretzka shifted a pass inside for Serge Gnabry before the former Arsenal man released it for Mane, who continued his run toward the box.

The former Liverpool forward crossed the ball into the penalty box and found Gnabry, who controlled it and successfully fired past a crowded penalty area to give the Bavarians the opener.

Mane – after he was set up by Jamal Musiala - came close to scoring in the 17th minute, but when he drove an effort, it was blocked by a defender as Mainz preferred to sit back in order to contain the all-firing Bundesliga giants.

Musiala scored the second for the German champions in the 28th minute. Alphonso Davies flicked a pass into the edge of the box where he found Musiala, but the Bayern teenager chose to pass the ball to Choupo-Moting, and the Cameroonian – after holding three Mainz defenders – returned the pass to Musiala, who found the bottom corner for his seventh Bundesliga goal of the season.

Mane scored the third goal for the Bavarians just before the half-time break. Alexander Hack brought down the Africa Cup of Nations winner, and although the penalty was not initially given, Bayern were awarded one after a VAR check.

Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner guessed right to make an initial save, but Mane managed to score from the rebound in the 43rd minute.

Burkhardt’s failed to score from the penalty spot in the second minute of added time as Sven Ulreich flicked it over the bar. But two minutes later, the visitors scored from a corner when Silvan Widmer met Aaron Martin's near-post cross and headed past Ulreich. 

Despite their spirited fight towards the end of the first half, Mainz conceded the fourth in the 56th minute.

Mane was again involved as he brilliantly made a run off the left past Edimilson Fernandes before he delivered a cross into the six-yard box to find an unmarked Goretzka, who scored with a rather powerful header.

Mathys Tel came on for Mane in the 76th minute and scored within two minutes to make it 5-1. The 17-year-old Frenchman unleashed a low shot that deflected off Widmer and into the net for his third goal for the Munich outfit.

In the 82nd minute, Marcus Ingvartsen scored the second for Mainz after Ulreich’s poor pass.

Choupo-Moting – who scored against Barcelona in midweek – scored the sixth for Bayern in the 86th minute.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The goal and the assist for Mane come just after he scored for the German side in the Champions League on Wednesday.

His combination with Choupo-Moting, Musiala, and Gnabry up front is slowly turning into a sharp partnership.

ALL EYES ON: Mane’s form in front of goal should be a big boost for Senegal before they are set to take part in the Qatar World Cup finals.

THE VERDICT: Mane managed seven shots, three shots off target, six key passes, and a 69% accuracy rate, and won two aerial duels.

Choupo-Moting had four shots on target, two off target, three key passes, and a passing accuracy of 75%, and also won two aerial battles.

WHAT NEXT FOR MANE and CHOUPO-MOTING? Bayern will face Inter Milan on November 1 for a Champions League match before they are hosted by Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga four days later.