MUNICH: Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick said they played "very good football" against Mainz and used their "mental strength to force the win". Bayern Munich secured a thumping 5-2 win over Mainz in the Bundesliga here on Sunday.
"The changes we made in the second half did us good and were just right. We fought the 50/50s. We lacked that in the first half. We had one or two chances, but our opponents were also dangerous because we didn't win many 50/50s in defence. We wanted to do better in the second half. After that, we played very good football and used our mental strength to force the win. We all know the first half was not what we thought it would be," the club's official website quoted Flick as saying.
Bayern Munich dominated possession throughout but did not take their chances and were vulnerable at the back in the first half as Jonathan Burkardt and Alexander Hack handed the visitors a two-goal half-time lead.
However, in the second half, Bayern Munich turned the tide to inflict a 5-2 defeat on Mainz. Joshua Kimmich scored Bayern's first goal in the 50th minute and Leroy Sane levelled the scores five minutes later. Niklas Sule put Bayern ahead before Robert Lewandowski netted a penalty and soon rounded off his brace to seal the final scoreline.
Kimmich said his team stepped out on the field in the second half with a "completely different attitude". "We came out after the break with a completely different attitude. In the first half, we didn't do enough on the pitch, nor in terms of our mentality, attitude and fighting spirit. Mainz were clearly ahead of us in that respect. It was important for us to show a reaction. Our mentality is right. It's extremely important when you're on the pitch and know your opponents are 2-0 up and nearly score a third," he said.
Bayern Munich sit atop the Bundesliga table with 33 points, two points ahead of second-placed RB Leipzig.