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Moussa Niakhaté celebrates his goal
Photo: RONALD WITTEK / EPA
FSV Mainz 05 confirmed its strong form from the previous second half of the season at the start of the new season in the Bundesliga.
Against runner-up RB Leipzig, coach Bo Svensson's team won their home game 1-0 (1-0).
Central defender Moussa Niakhaté benefited from a serious defensive error by Leipzig's Nordi Mukiele (13th minute) with his winning goal.
Right from the start, the Mainz team did not show that a corona outbreak had brought the team into personnel difficulties: three players were sick, eight more were in quarantine.
In midfield, for example, 18-year-old Paul Nebel and 20-year-old Niklas Tauer, two of their own generation, got their chance in the starting XI - and contributed to Mainz being the stronger team in the early stages.
Lee Jae-sung, who was signed from Kiel, failed with a diving header on the post (5th).
After a Mainz corner kick, Mukiele made a ricochet in his own six-yard space.
The advanced Niakhaté, who had already contributed two goals to the Mainz 3-2 surprise win at the last meeting, pushed the ball over the line from a very short distance (13th).
RB only presses after the break
Subsequently, when coach Jesse Marsch made his Bundesliga debut, RB tried in vain to convert their own field superiority into scoring opportunities.
Christopher Nkunku did not bring a promising counterattack to the end because Tauer intervened with a courageous tackle in the penalty area (29th).
In the second half, Leipzig got stronger.
First goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi had to save against Nebel (51.), but then RB settled in the Mainz half and built up more and more pressure.
Mohamed Simakan tested Robin Zentner's reflexes with a low shot (58th).
Hundreds of feet were also there against André Silva (73rd), but the Portuguese had been sidelined anyway.
On the other hand, a volley hit by Stefan Bell who had taken a corner kick was not recognized.
The cross had already crossed the goal line (74th).
The greatest Leipzig chance in the final phase was missed by Willi Orban, who headed a corner kick just next to the Mainz goal (86th).
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