Mainz vs. Borussia Dortmund: Winners and Losers from Bundesliga Game

Borussia Dortmund were brought crashing down to planet Earth on Saturday night, when a determined Mainz side showed Jurgen Klopp's boys up with a 2-0 win at the Coface Arena. 

It was in Western Germany, in a town just outside Frankfurt, that the scene was set for another disappointing performance from the Bundesliga's second biggest club. Just days after an inspiring win over Premier League giants Arsenal, Dortmund once again tripped over an opponent they really should have beaten handsomely. 

Fans will be cursing their luck, considering Bayern Munich's inability to break the deadlock against Hamburg hours before offering a genuine opportunity for Klopp's side to leapfrog above the Bundesliga champions for the first time this season. 

Alas it was a defeat—a bitter one at that—which keeps Dortmund in mid-table obscurity and fans scratching their head over just what will become of their side this season. At times this team look like champions and then, as Mainz showed so effectively, they can also look completely devoid of answers. 

Winner: Mainz's First Season Without Tuchel

Michael Probst/Associated Press

Thomas who? Although many considered Mainz to be a sure thing for a long relegation battle this season following the departure of Thomas Tuchel, new coach Kasper Hjulmand has done exceptionally well to turn things around in his first full season in charge. 

In their first four league games Mainz have managed to pick up a fantastic return of eight points, beating Hertha Berlin and now, of course, Dortmund. 

Under the Danish coach's watch, the Carnival club now sit comfortably in the higher reaches of the league table, with some strong distance between them and where many critics considered their initial destination. 

Loser: Dortmund's Poor Record Following Champions League Games

Kerstin Joensson/Associated Press

Much has been made of Dortmund's poor run of health at the moment, as numerous members of the first team have pulled up with injuries since the start of the season. 

Yet what we saw against Mainz on Saturday was a habit within the Bundesliga giants that predates any troubles that began to bother Klopp this summer. 

The 2-0 loss now means Dortmund have only won two of their last seven games held directly after a Champions League group match in midweek. 

Whether such a phenomenon is out of sheer tiredness or simple complacency is unknown, but it's really beginning to get in the way of Dortmund's season. 

Winner: Mainz's Home Record Remains Intact

Michael Probst/Associated Press

Although we've already praised Hjulmand for his fantastic job since joining Mainz, one aspect of the job that he has been keen to keep alive in Tuchel's wake is the strong performance the club always put on at the Coface Arena. 

Mainz haven't lost at home this season and hold an undefeated record in front of their own fans that now stretches as far back as March 22, when they lost 2-0 to Bayern. Dortmund's win against them in November 2013 was the last defeat at home before then. 

If Mainz are to continue in the same way they've started this new season, they'll undoubtedly hope to base a lot of the forthcoming success in their ability to turn over any type of opponent at home. 

Loser: Adrian Ramos' Finishing

Michael Probst/Associated Press

Despite the result, one thing that will bother Klopp to no end is the poor finishing from Adrian Ramos against Mainz on Saturday night. 

In a laboured performance from Dortmund, the Colombian striker perhaps best characterised an unpolished effort as he continued to miss chance after chance. 

Eventually, Ciro Immobile was brought on to change things, as Klopp grew impatient with the towering forward's trouble in front of goal, but he also disappointed with a missed penalty just after Mainz scored their opening goal. 

Not a great day for either of Klopp's two main strikers. 

Loser: Dortmund's Defence

Michael Probst/Associated Press

For the fourth time in as many games Dortmund conceded goals where they probably shouldn't have. And for the second time this season Klopp's team walked away from a match with no points.

Although Dortmund were always going to play the game with a relatively weakened back line, as both Neven Subotic and Mats Hummels sat the game out with injuries, fans would have expected a much better performance from Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Matthias Ginter; two distinguished Bundesliga defenders. 

Former Freiburg central defender Ginter was a standout worry for Klopp, as he once again proved far from up to the task whenever asked to start for his new club this season.

Dortmund may only be two points behind Bayern at this point in the season, but until they fix their defensive woes they'll never catch them.