Dortmund grabs a welcome win over Mainz in Bundesliga

BERLIN (AP) — Maximilian Beier scored twice as Borussia Dortmund ended a two-game losing run in the Bundesliga with a 3-1 win over Mainz on Sunday.

The victory provided Dortmund with a timely confidence boost with a trip to Barcelona coming up in the Champions League on April 9.

Karim Adeyemi set up Beier to break the deadlock in the 39th, three minutes before Emre Can headed in Nico Schlotterbeck's corner.

Robin Zentner denied Adeyemi in a one-on-one in the 71st, only for Beier to score from the corner that followed a minute later to seal the win.

It was the 22-year-old Beier's first double for Dortmund since joining from Hoffenheim before the season.

Paul Nebel pulled one back four minutes later but Dortmund did enough to see out the victory after previous defeats to Leipzig and Augsburg.

Niko Kovać’s team remains midtable — seven points behind fourth-placed Mainz in the last spot for Champions League qualification — with seven rounds remaining. A trip to Freiburg is next for Dortmund before the Champions League quarterfinals.

Andrej Ilić scored what proved to be the winner for Union Berlin to boost its survival hopes with a 2-1 win in Freiburg.

Freiburg’s loss after seven games without defeat prevented it from getting closer to the Champions League qualification places. Freiburg remained three points behind Mainz. Only the top four qualify for Europe’s top competition.

Union came from behind as it moved eight points clear of Heidenheim in the relegation playoff spot.

Lucas Höler broke the deadlock in the 29th minute when Vincenzo Grifo got behind the Union defense to cross for the Freiburg forward.

But Rani Khedira replied straight away with a low shot inside the left post after Freiburg’s defense failed to deal with Christopher Trimmel’s cross.

Union remained more likely to score and Ilić duly made it 2-1 after the break with a header from Tim Skarke’s cross.

Freiburg ‘keeper Noah Atubolu – a potential future Germany goalkeeper – had to go off injured in the 58th after punching a clearance under pressure.

Union counterpart Frederik Rönnow preserved the visitors’ win by denying Grifo an equalizer.

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Dortmund's Salih Ozcan, left, and Mainz's Jonathan Burkardt challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund - FSV Mainz 05 at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Bernd Thissen/dpa via AP)

Dortmund's Emre Can celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund - FSV Mainz 05 at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Bernd Thissen/dpa via AP)

Dortmund's Salih Ozcan, centre left, and Mainz's Paul Nebel challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund - FSV Mainz 05 at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Bernd Thissen/dpa via AP)

Dortmund's Emre Can, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund - FSV Mainz 05 at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Bernd Thissen/dpa via AP)

Berlin's fans support their team during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg - 1. FC Union Berlin at The Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)

Freiburg's Ritsu Doan reacts during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg - 1. FC Union Berlin at The Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)

Freiburg's Ritsu Doan, centre left, in action against Berlin's Rani Khedira during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg - 1. FC Union Berlin at The Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)

From left: Berlin's Andrej Ilic, Danilho Doekhi, Andrej Ilic and Tim Skarke celebrate after scoring their side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg - 1. FC Union Berlin at The Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)

Berlin's Benedict Hollerbach, centre left, and Freiburg's Ritsu Doan challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg - 1. FC Union Berlin at The Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)

Freiburg's Lucas Höler celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg - 1. FC Union Berlin at The Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)

Freiburg's Lucas Höler, left, in action against Berlin's Danilho Doekhi during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg - 1. FC Union Berlin at The Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)

Berlin's Rani Khedira celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg - 1. FC Union Berlin at The Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)

Berlin's Andrej Ilic, left, and Josip Juranovic celebrate after scoring their side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg - 1. FC Union Berlin at The Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg, Germany, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Republicans Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine won special elections Tuesday in two Florida congressional districts, bolstered by President Donald Trump’s endorsement to fill vacant seats in reliably Republican strongholds.

Patronis, the state’s chief financial officer, fended off a challenge from Democrat Gay Valimont even though she far outraised and outspent him. He will fill the northwest Florida 1st District seat vacated by former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who was chosen to be Trump’s attorney general but withdrew from consideration amid allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied.

In north Florida's 6th District, Fine won against Democratic challenger Josh Weil for a seat vacated by Mike Waltz when he was tapped to become Trump’s national security adviser.

The win bolsters Republicans’ margin of 220-213 in the House of Representatives.

Special elections are often low-turnout events that can lead to surprising results. While GOP wins were widely expected in both districts — two of the most heavily Republican in the country — it’s notable that Democrats narrowed the margins considerably from November.

The races were among the first electoral tests of Trump’s new administration. The narrowing margins may signal a shift in public sentiment, driven by unusually strong Democratic enthusiasm as the party poured millions into the races. Democrats hoped that backlash to the president’s overhaul of federal agencies and firing of federal workers would carve into the GOP’s margins at the polls.

Trump congratulated both candidates late Tuesday and said his endorsement helped them secure a victory.

“THE TRUMP ENDORSEMENT, AS ALWAYS, PROVED FAR GREATER THAN THE DEMOCRATS FORCES OF EVIL. CONGRATULATIONS TO AMERICA!” he said on his Truth Social platform.

The mood was celebratory at a waterfront restaurant in Pensacola, where congratulatory text messages were already lighting up Patronis’ phone as early results were posted Tuesday night. Patronis worked the crowd of about 100 people shaking hands and giving hugs, his wife Katie and two sons in tow.

Republicans, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, had been saying that Fine’s underperformance should not be taken as a referendum on Trump, calling it a candidate-specific issue. However, early returns in the other district were showing that Patronis was also failing to match the large margins from November.

Fine, a self-described “conservative firebrand,” had faced growing pressure during the race’s final days as some Republicans publicly criticized his campaign and fundraising efforts, questioning whether this race would embarrass Republicans less than 100 days into Trump’s administration. Weil’s campaign raised an eye-popping $9 million compared to Fine’s $1 million.

National Democratic leaders have attributed Weil’s fundraising success to what they characterized as widespread outrage against Trump. That outrage failed to materialize in large enough numbers to overturn the outcome, foiling Democrats’ hope to pull off a huge upset that would have buoyed their party.

Fine was first elected to the Florida House in 2016 and ran each year as a representative until 2024 when he successfully won his election to the Florida Senate. He is known for his support of Israel and his efforts to restrict LGBTQ+ rights.

Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Josh Weil talks to a group of supporters during a Get Out the Vote event in Ocala, Fla., Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephany Matat)