In this impactful Bundesliga fixture at the BayArena on 23rd February 2024, Bayer 04 Leverkusen came out victorious, defeating 1. FSV Mainz 05 with a scoreline of 2-1. The match was characterized by a remarkable number of attempts by both teams with vast defensive tactics, as can be deciphered from the hefty number of shots taken off target, 29 by the home team and 25 by the away team. However, Leverkusen was slightly more accurate in their attack, as demonstrated by their 7 shots on target, compared to Mainz's 4.

While the away team struck first in the 7th minute with Dominik Kohr finding the net, assisted by Silvan Widmer, their lead was short-lived. Leverkusen equalised in the 2nd minute of the game with a goal by Granit Xhaka, setting the tone for a highly competitive match. The clincher came in the 67th minute when Robert Andrich, assisted by Florian Wirtz, scored what proved to be the game-winning goal.

Corner kicks, often crucial in creating goal opportunities, were dominated by the home team who racked up 11 compared to Mainz's 2. This likely contributed to Leverkusen's win, as did their more disciplined game, witnessed by their lower foul count of 14 compared to Mainz's 16.

A key turning point in the match was when the away team was reduced to 10 men due to Anthony Caci receiving his second yellow in the 65th minute. This proved to be a significant blow to Mainz’s defensive setup and allowed Leverkusen to gain control of the game.

Disciplinary actions were a conspicuous feature of this game, with the referee's book rather busy all evening. Mainz players received 5 yellow cards in total, compared to Leverkusen's 4. Leverkusen also held their composure well and didn't succumb to a red card, unlike Mainz. The disciplinary actions impacted Mainz’s structure as several of their key players, like Dominik Kohr and Robin Zentner, were cautioned, disrupting their formation and game strategy.

In summary, despite both teams showing tenacity and ambition, Leverkusen's superior finishing, disciplined play, and strategic exploitation of set-pieces, combined with Mainz's loss in personnel, tilted the balance in their favour. What might seem as minute pieces of information stimulated this match's outcome significantly, highlighting the crucial role of detailed statistics in providing a comprehensive analysis of football matches.

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