Published: 09:30, March 31, 2025
Beier double helps Dortmund beat Mainz 3-1 for first win in three
By Reuters
Dortmund's Maximilian Beier (not in photo) scores on a header against FSV Mainz's goalkeeper Robin Zentner during a German Bundesliga soccer match at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, March 30, 2025. (PHOTO / AP)

DORTMUND, Germany - Borussia Dortmund eased to a 3-1 win over visitors Mainz 05 on Sunday with two goals from Maximilian Beier to earn their first win in three league matches as they battle to get back into Champions League contention with seven matches left to play.

Beier tapped in from a Karim Adeyemi cutback in the 39th minute before Emre Can headed in at the far post from a Nico Schlotterbeck corner three minutes later.

Dortmund, who face Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on April 9, were without injured striker Serhou Guirassy.

But they added a third goal with a 72nd-minute header by Beier from yet another Schlotterbeck corner to make sure of the win that lifted them to 10th place on 38 points.

Mainz, who dropped to fourth place on 45, cut the deficit with a goal from Paul Nebel four minutes later. The top four teams qualify automatically for the Champions League.

Dortmund's Salih Ozcan (left) and Mainz's Jonathan Burkardt challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund - FSV Mainz 05 at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, March 30, 2025. (PHOTO / AP)

"We knew Mainz would be a tough opponent," said Dortmund coach Niko Kovac. "What was important was that we pushed against them over 90 minutes."

"Every team wants to win every game," added Kovac about their chances of earning a Champions League spot for next season in the seven remaining matches.

"I don't spend too much time looking at the table and I only heard about the other games' results in passing because it does not matter what the others do."

READ MORE: Second-half comeback sends Dortmund into Champions League quarters again

"We have to do our job and we did it today. In the next game against Freiburg we want to win again. But we will have to put in the work because no one will gift us anything."