Dortmund Revive European Hopes with 3-1 Victory Over Mainz

Borussia Dortmund returned to winning ways in the Bundesliga, defeating Mainz 3-1 to revive their European hopes.

Borussia Dortmund returned to winning ways in the Bundesliga, defeating in-form Mainz 3-1 at Signal Iduna Park to climb into the top half of the table. This victory marked a welcome bounce-back for Dortmund, who had suffered consecutive league defeats prior to this encounter.

New Dortmund manager Niko Kovac was eager to reverse the team's fortunes, having endured a dismal start to his tenure with four losses in his first six games. This poor record was the worst since Jurgen Roberin's tenure in 2007. Kovac's side faced a stiff test against high-flying Mainz, who are vying for a UEFA Champions League spot.

With a mere 35 points from 26 games, Borussia Dortmund's current campaign has been their worst in a decade. As a result, their hopes of securing European qualification through the league have dwindled significantly. Despite this, Dortmund began the match on a positive note, and the energetic atmosphere at Signal Iduna Park was palpable as the hosts applied early pressure on Mainz.

The opening half hour was relatively uneventful, but as the interval approached, Dortmund seized the initiative. Mainz, seemingly caught off guard, struggled to cope with a sweeping ball into the box that ultimately found its way to Karim Adeyemi. Adeyemi then selflessly squared the ball to Maximilian Beier, who scored with a simple tap-in. Notably, only league leaders Bayern Munich had conceded fewer goals than Mainz this season, but Dortmund quickly doubled their advantage just three minutes later. A corner kick led to Emre Can nodding in at the back post, further increasing the hosts' momentum.

Mainz emerged from the halftime break with renewed determination, launching a barrage of shots at the Dortmund goal. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel was forced to be vigilant, making crucial saves to deny the visitors and maintain Dortmund's two-goal cushion. Having weathered the storm, Dortmund struck again midway through the second half. A precise corner kick from Nico Schlotterbeck found the head of Beier, who scored his second goal of the match to seal the win for Dortmund.

THAT'S MORE LIKE IT! #BVB_ONEPIECE #ONEPIECE pic.twitter.com/IVdE34uuBc

— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) March 30, 2025

Mainz responded swiftly, with Paul Nebel scoring after a somewhat disjointed build-up. However, this goal came too late to spark a meaningful comeback, as Dortmund maintained their composure to see out the remaining minutes. In a late surge, Pascal Gross rattled the post from close range, but ultimately, Dortmund's lead remained intact.

The outcome of this match, combined with Eintracht Frankfurt's win on Saturday, resulted in Mainz dropping to fourth in the table. They now hold a slender two-point advantage over fifth-placed Borussia Monchengladbach, as they strive to secure a maiden Champions League berth. Meanwhile, Dortmund's victory has lifted them to within four points of sixth place. However, with four teams separating them from a guaranteed European qualification spot, time is running out for manager Niko Kovač to orchestrate a late-season resurgence.