Bayern beat Mainz 2-1, but Neuer's record day ends with injury

Bayern Munich beat Mainz 2-1 in the Bundesliga on Saturday, but the day's biggest talking point was a goalkeeper who had to leave the pitch. Manuel Neuer became Bayern's oldest player, at 40 years and 225 days, overtaking Bernd Dreher. Before half-time, he was forced off with a recurrence of a foot injury, and Jonas Urbig came on in his place.

Mainz had their own moment of drama. Lee Jae-sung scored while Bayern were ahead 1-0, but the goal was ruled out. The attacker was offside, meaning he was ahead of the last defender when the ball was played to him.

Bayern's goals came from Joshua Kimmich and Lennart Karl. Harry Kane provided both assists, the passes that set up a goal. Karl is 18 years old, and he was one of the reasons the visitors were able to take control of the match. The win extended Bayern's unbeaten run in away Bundesliga games to 31 matches.

The result leaves Bayern on 21 points from nine league games, level with Borussia Dortmund at the top. Bayern sit first on goal difference, the number of goals scored minus goals conceded. Dortmund beat Elversberg 2-1 on the same day, with two goals from Felix Nmecha. RB Leipzig won 5-2 at home to Augsburg and are third, three points behind the leaders.

Further down the table, Eintracht Frankfurt were pulled back to 2-2 at Paderborn. Jonathan Burkardt scored in the 93rd minute, deep into injury time, to rescue a point.

Neuer's day was a mix of celebration and worry. He has been struggling for form, too. Sofascore, a football statistics site, using data from Opta, counts five errors leading to goals in his previous 17 Bundesliga games. Before that run, he had made 10 such errors in 248 league appearances. He had also missed four matches after a foot problem, returning in Bayern's 2-0 Champions League win at Atletico Madrid.

For Bayern, the win is the good news. The exit of their captain, and a foot that has now flared up again, is the concern that will linger into the next few weeks.