Maximilian Beier scored a brace as Borussia Dortmund secured a convincing 3-1 home victory over Mainz 05, ending the visitor's six-match unbeaten streak on Sunday.

Dortmund started brightly, with Beier and Karim Adeyemi both showing early attacking intentions, while Mainz responded with a long-range effort from Lee Jae-sung, but neither side looked truly threatening until the final 10 minutes of the first half.

Salih Oezcan (L) of Borussia Dortmund vies with Jonathan Burkardt (C) of 1. FSV Mainz 05 during the first division of Bundesliga football match between Borussia Dortmund and 1. FSV Mainz 05 in Dortmund, Germany, March 30, 2025. (Photo by Joachim Bywaletz/Xinhua)

Julian Brandt sent a pinpoint cross into the box, and a quick one-two with Adeyemi left Beier unmarked to slot home in the 39th minute.

Three minutes later, Nico Schlotterbeck delivered a perfect corner to the far post, where Emre Can rose highest to head in Dortmund's second.

Beier's second of the night came in the 72nd minute, also from a Schlotterbeck corner, this time with a close-range header.

Mainz responded instantly, with Paul Nebel finding the net after a fortunate deflection four minutes later, but the visitors couldn't build any further momentum.

"We won, and for a footballer and a coach, there is nothing better than that," said Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac.

"The problem was the first half. We lacked the aggression that we have shown in recent weeks and conceded two cheap goals from set-pieces, so we deserved to lose today," rued Mainz striker Jonathan Burkardt.

In Sunday's other Bundesliga game, Union Berlin came from behind to beat Freiburg 2-1 and keep its survival hopes alive, also ending the host's seven-match unbeaten run. 

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