Bayern edge Mainz 2-1 as Neuer's milestone ends in injury and error

Bayern Munich won 2-1 away at Mainz in the Bundesliga on Saturday, a result that kept them top of the table, but the afternoon turned sour for Manuel Neuer, who was forced off injured having just become the club's oldest-ever player.

Neuer reached the milestone at 40 years and 225 days, surpassing Bernd Dreher's previous record, according to the Guardian's report on the match.

The landmark was overshadowed by a mistake in the 40th minute. Nadiem Amiri's free kick glanced off Jonathan Tah's head, and Neuer, airborne and under pressure, failed to get a clean touch on the ball, as described by Yahoo Sports. It fell to Jae-sung Lee, whose header appeared to level the match at 1-1 before VAR ruled the goal out for offside in what Yahoo Sports called a debatable decision.

Neuer then signalled for a substitution and was seen clutching his foot as Bayern's medical staff attended to him before half-time. He was replaced by Jonas Urbig, with the club citing a recurrence of the foot injury that had already kept him sidelined for four matches.

The error continues a troubling pattern for a goalkeeper once considered among the finest of his generation. The Guardian reported that, according to Sofascore using Opta data, Neuer has made five errors leading directly to a goal in his last 17 Bundesliga appearances, a rate of one every 3.4 games. Across the 248 appearances before that stretch, he had made only ten such errors, or one every 24.8 games.

His most recent high-profile mistake came last month against Augsburg, when a slip contributed to Robin Fellhauer scoring after just eight seconds, the fastest goal in Bundesliga history. That match finished 2-2. Neuer missed four games afterwards with the foot problem before returning midweek in a 2-0 Champions League win at Atlético Madrid.

Harry Kane failed to find the net himself against Mainz but set up both of Bayern's goals, teeing up Joshua Kimmich and then 18-year-old Lennart Karl. The victory extended Bayern's unbeaten run on the road in the league to 31 matches.

Bayern remain top of the Bundesliga on 21 points from nine games, level with Borussia Dortmund but ahead on goal difference. Dortmund were pushed hard by promoted Elversberg before winning 2-1, with Felix Nmecha scoring twice.

RB Leipzig sit third, three points off the pace, after thrashing Augsburg 5-2 at home. Elsewhere, Eintracht Frankfurt drew 2-2 at Paderborn in a meeting of mid-table sides, Jonathan Burkardt scoring a 93rd-minute equaliser.