By Can Erozden
Confident Bayer Leverkusen beat Mainz 2-1 on Friday to open up an 11-point lead against defending champions Bayern Munich in the top-tier German Bundesliga.
Home team Leverkusen scored a very early opener in a week 23 match at the BayArena as Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka sent a superb long-range shot that went over Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner.
In the eighth minute Dominik Kohr, a former Leverkusen midfielder, scored a flying header to beat Finnish goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky as Mainz leveled the match.
Leverkusen scored the winning goal in the 68th minute. Germany's Robert Andrich fired from long range to beat Zentner. The Mainz goalkeeper fumbled the ball into his own net.
Mainz's Jessic Ngankam made a harsh foul on Xhaka to be sent off in the 80th minute.
So Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen, who are in a dream season, secured the win to become the first German club to go unbeaten in 33 matches in all competitions.
Leaders Leverkusen boosted their points to 61.
Second-place Bayern Munich have 50 points before meeting RB Leipzig at Munich's Allianz Arena on Saturday.
Bayern Munich, who will part ways with head coach Thomas Tuchel at the end of this season, are unable to control the title race in Bundesliga, which is a rare habit for them.
Tuchel's men must win their league games first and then rely on Leverkusen's mistakes.