BERLIN: Axel Witsel scored late to give Borussia Dortmund a bad-tempered 1-0 win at Mainz on Wednesday in their postponed Bundesliga game to cut the gap to leader Bayern Munich to four points.
American forward Gio Reyna, who came on in the 69th minute as a substitute, set up the winner by floating a free kick to the far post for Witsel to score in the 87th.
But the game itself had few highlights as it was punctuated by many fouls, niggles and disagreements. Dortmund midfielder Marius Wolf and Mainz counterpart Stefan Bell were booked before the break after a shoving match broke out at the culmination of increasingly frayed tempers.
There was another flare-up at the end when Jude Bellingham was fouled by Anderson Lucoqui, who was booked. Witsel was also booked in injury time, for a tactical foul, before Reyna drew a great save from Robin Zentner with another free kick.
The teams were originally down to play on March 6 but the game was called off due to a coronavirus outbreak at Mainz. Bo Svensson’s team also had their next game at Augsburg called off with at least 20 members of the squad and coaching staff infected with COVID-19. The Augsburg game was postponed to April 26.
The Mainz team showed no ill effects from the enforced break as they frustrated Dortmund’s attack and might have scored themselves with Jonathan Burkardt blocked by Emre Can in the best chance of the first half.
Dortmund coach Marco Rose brought Erling Haaland on for Wolf to energize his lackluster attack in the 57th, then Reyna and Julian Brandt.
Eight rounds remain.
Dortmund beat Mainz 1-0 to cut Bayern’s lead to 4 points
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Dortmund beat Mainz 1-0 to cut Bayern’s lead to 4 points
- American forward Gio Reyna set up the winner by floating a free kick
- The game itself had few highlights as it was punctuated by many fouls, niggles and disagreements
Riyadh stages LIV Golf opener as league navigates change in 2026
- Ben An: Night golf adds character to this event. It’s similar to night racing in F1, so I think it’ll be good for golf too
- Michael La Sasso: Being able to travel the world at such a young age, I couldn’t pass up this experience
RIYADH: The 2026 LIV Golf League gets underway in Riyadh this Wednesday, marking the start of a new season that will see the tour adopt a four-day, 72-hole format for the first time since its launch in 2022.
Despite the structural change, much of the early attention has focused on the departures of high-profile players such as Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed, who recently confirmed that he will not return this season. LIV Golf players, however, insist their focus remains firmly on the campaign ahead.
At the league’s pre-season press conference, Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm addressed Reed’s move.
“I wish Patrick Reed nothing but the best,” Rahm said. “Everyone is free to choose wherever they want to play golf.
“He’s been playing fantastic golf, and if he wants to go back (to the PGA Tour), he can choose to do so.”
The opening event in Riyadh will again feature play under the lights — a format that has become one of LIV Golf’s most distinctive traits.
“It’s just a case of getting used to the night golf,” said Legion XIII teammate Tyrrell Hatton. Rahm agreed, noting that while the concept was enjoyable, consistently staging events after dark brought its own challenges.
For Tom McKibbin, playing under the lights initially came as a surprise but left a lasting impression during his first appearance in Riyadh last season.
“I don’t think any other golf event has been played in the dark — it was very new for me,” McKibbin said. “But I enjoyed playing under the lights, and it made for a cool first experience.”
Korean Golf Club member Ben An echoed that sentiment, suggesting the format added a new dimension to the sport.
“Night golf adds character to this event,” he said. “It’s similar to night racing in F1, so I think it’ll be good for golf too.”
Beyond the format, several players highlighted the competitive environment and global travel as key reasons for committing to LIV.
“I say this with no disrespect to other tours, but you only face the top players two to three times a year at a major,” said Richard Bland of Cleeks GC. “Here, you get to play against the likes of Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau 14 to 15 times a year.”
For younger players, including 21-year-old Michael La Sasso, the international nature of the tour has been a major draw.
“Being able to travel the world at such a young age, I couldn’t pass up this experience,” La Sasso told Arab News. “The amount I’ll be able to learn just by being here — it’s hard to express how cool it really is.
“As a 21-year-old, I get to see different cultures on a regular basis. Even seeing camels in Riyadh this week was pretty cool.”
LIV Golf opens for the second consecutive season under the Riyadh Golf Club lights from Feb. 4 to 7. Adrian Meronk of Cleeks GC returns as defending individual champion after finishing 17 under par last year, while Legion XIII claimed the team title with a total of 50 under par.
The tour moves on just seven days later, with its second event taking place in Adelaide — one of the most anticipated stops on the LIV calendar.
