Leverkusen's Chilean midfielder Charles Aranguiz amd Wolfsburg's German midfielder Ridle Baku vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match Bayer 04 Leverkusen v VfL Wolfsburg in Leverkusen, western Germany, on January 23, 2021.
RB Leipzig have wasted yet another chance to put pressure on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich as they suffered a 3-2 defeat at lowly Mainz.
Third-placed Bayer Leverkusen also slipped up on Saturday with a 1-0 home loss to Wolfsburg, who moved fourth thanks to Ridle Baku's header.
Defeat means Leipzig remain four points behind champions Bayern, who visit bottom side Schalke on Sunday and look in an ever stronger position to make it nine titles in a row.
Eintracht Frankfurt climbed up to sixth after a 5-1 win at Arminia Bielefeld, including two more goals for Andre Silva and another Luka Jovic strike.
Freiburg beat regional neighbours VfB Stuttgart 2-1 while fellow mid-table side Augsburg also defeated Union Berlin 2-1.
The second half of the Bundesliga season began on Friday when fifth-placed Borussia Monchengladbach beat Borussia Dortmund 4-2 to move above their rivals.
In Mainz, US midfielder Tyler Adams slotted home first for Leipzig after Marcel Sabitzer's shot had been tipped onto the bar.
Goalfest for Frankfurt 🎉
— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) January 23, 2021
Big wins for Wolfsburg, Augsburg and Freiburg 💪
MASSIVE win for Mainz 👏#BLMatchday pic.twitter.com/eaWGSl1SDs
Mainz levelled midway through the first half when Moussa Niakhate prodded in after Peter Gulacsi had parried Dominik Kohr's header following a free-kick.
Parity did not last long though with Marcel Halstenberg putting Leipzig back ahead with a confident finish for a defender.
But the visitors again let the lead slip following a set-piece, Mainz defender Niakhate grabbing his second goal with another tap-in after a corner.
Second-bottom Mainz, who had won only once in the league previously this term, made it 3-2 early in the second half when Leandro Barreiro nipped in at the near post as Gulacsi hesitated.
They held on for a first victory under new coach Bo Svensson in his fourth game in charge and against a team with the best defence in the league.
Leverkusen, without injured striker Patrik Schick, hit the post early on against Wolfsburg through Lucas Alario amid other good chances.
Wolfsburg's Renato Steffen made them pay for their profligacy, picking out the unmarked Baku, who headed home 10 minutes before the break.
Top scorer Wout Weghorst came close to extending their advantage in the second half as Leverkusen laboured.
