Three red cards, penalty revised: Mainz's lightning goals ensure rapid first win of the season

Three red cards, penalty revised
Mainz’s lightning goals ensure rapid first win of the season

20.09.2024, 22:31

Quick goals from Mainz 05 ensure the first Bundesliga win of the season: Shortly before and after the break, the 05ers score against Augsburg. The FCA fights back and comes back twice in a rapid party. Mainz plays with ten men for a long time, then Augsburg follows suit with red cards. In the end, it becomes dramatic.

Despite being outnumbered for a long time, FSV Mainz 05 celebrated its first win of the season in a wild game in the Bundesliga. Coach Bo Henriksen's team fought their way to a 3:2 (2:1) win at FC Augsburg after three games without a win at the start and moved up into the middle of the table.

Armindo Sieb (13th) and Jonathan Burkardt (15th) had given Mainz an early lead. Keven Schlotterbeck (25th) quickly equalized for Augsburg, who were unable to capitalize on their numerical superiority after Mainz's Nadiem Amiri (35th) was shown a yellow-red card. After Burkardt's second goal (49th), Samuel Essende (57th) only managed to equalize again before he too was shown the red card for an assault (70th). Deep into injury time, referee Sören Storks checked an alleged penalty for Augsburg on the video screen – and reversed his decision.

Henriksen was not fazed by Mainz's mixed start to the season, at least in terms of results. He was “not afraid,” the Dane stressed: “It's just football. But we still work every day for a win. We need a little patience.”

Even an overhead kick does not bring compensation

Henriksen's team seemed to take the latter to heart. While Mainz started earlier, it was FCA who sought the initiative in a somewhat chaotic opening phase. Because Augsburg's high pressing initially posed little danger, FSV also increasingly dared to come out of cover – with success.

After a cross from Phillipp Mwene, Sieb scored the first chance to take the lead with a header in his first start in the Bundesliga. Burkardt took advantage of the second less than two minutes later – again with a header, again after a cross from Mwene.

Mainz then dropped back a little and left the game to FCA, who became increasingly dominant. After Schlotterbeck's goal, Vargas (27') narrowly missed the chance to equalize. Augsburg barely gave Mainz any room to breathe, and Amiri's sending off only cemented the new balance of power even more.

Accordingly, Augsburg's coach Jess Thorup went on the offensive after half-time, especially after Burkardt unexpectedly restored the old lead. Augsburg now pressed relentlessly. Essende managed to get back into the game, but a little later the striker had to leave the field – and thus only managed to equalize with a manpower effort. The hosts also attacked in the final phase, and an overhead kick by Steve Mounie was defused by Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner.