Manuel Neuer’s record appearance ends in error and injury setback

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s record-breaking appearance was cut short by a recurring foot injury as his side beat Mainz 2-1 in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Neuer, who at 40 years and 225 days became Bayern’s oldest player by surpassing Bernd Dreher, was replaced by 23-year-old Jonas Urbig before half-time.

His latest performance is likely to renew scrutiny of his form. With Bayern 1-0 ahead, Neuer flailed at a cross and Mainz’s Lee Jae-Sung put the ball into the net, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside.

The injury was a recurrence of the foot problem that had kept Neuer out of Bayern’s recent matches. He had returned to action in Tuesday’s 2-0 Champions League victory at Atletico Madrid, having played twice since the 2-2 draw with Augsburg last month.

That match saw Neuer make another costly mistake, allowing Robin Fellhauer to score the fastest-ever Bundesliga goal after eight seconds.

According to Sofascore, using Opta data, the Augsburg error was Neuer’s fifth leading to a goal in his previous 17 Bundesliga appearances an average of one every 3.4 matches. In his preceding 248 league games, he had made only 10 such errors, or one every 24.8 matches.

Despite Neuer’s early departure, Bayern held on for a victory which extended their unbeaten away run in the Bundesliga to 31 matches.

Ballon d’Or winner Harry Kane was unable to score against Mainz but supplied both of Bayern’s assists. Joshua Kimmich scored one, while the other was converted by 18-year-old Lennart Karl.

Bayern remain top of the Bundesliga, level on 21 points from nine games with Borussia Dortmund and ahead on goal difference.

Dortmund were pushed hard by promoted Elversberg but secured a 2-1 win, with Felix Nmecha scoring both goals.

RB Leipzig sit third, three points behind the leaders, after defeating Augsburg 5-2 at home.

In another match involving two mid-table sides, Jonathan Burkardt scored an equaliser in the 93rd minute for Eintracht Frankfurt in a 2-2 draw away to Paderborn.