Mainz 0-1 Augsburg
14/06/20
Mainz versus Augsburg was one of the most important fixtures of the Bundesliga season with whichever side won this game all but cementing their future in Germany’s top-flight.
Augsburg went ahead through Florian Niederlechner in under a minute and held on for the remaining ninety minutes plus ten minutes of stoppage-time added on after Liverpool-loanee Taiwo Awoniyi was stretchered off with a head injury.
The defeat doesn’t condemn Mainz who sit three points ahead of Dusseldorf in the regulation play-off position, but the loss does put pressure on Achim Beierlorzer’s side with a difficult final three games coming up including away to Dortmund and a crucial home fixture against relegation rivals Werder Bremen.
For Augsburg they are all but safe going seven points clear of the drop zone with three Bundesliga games remaining.
On-pitch pep talks usually end up in disaster (think Phil Brown at Hull City). However Mainz captain Danny Latza decided to deliver instructions to his team-mates right before kick-off. Whatever was said didn’t work because within forty-five seconds Augsburg went one-up.
A throw-in was partially cleared by Mainz and headed back into the box by Carlos Gruezo. Florian Niederlechner, who hadn’t scored in over 850 minutes of play before today, got the faintest of touches in a sprawling volley that sent the ball into the turf and looping over Florian Muller. The Mainz keeper had the infamous task of taking the ball out the net without having touched it in open play.
Liverpool loanee Taiwo Awoniyi was stretchered off after sixteen minutes. The young striker’s header looped agonisingly wide of Andreas’ Luthe’s far post, but in the attempt Awoniyi collided with Augsburg defender Felix Uduokhai.
Augsburg have the measure of their opponents at the moment having scored almost three times as many goals – 11 to 4 – and kept two clean sheets in their five previous meetings against Mainz. Niederlechner somehow missed putting in Sarenren-Bazee’s cross on twenty-eight minutes then Ruben Vargas ran at the Mainz defense, but dragged his shot inches wide.
Mainz had chances. First Jean-Philippe Mateta rounded Luthe, but his shot was cleared off the line by Philipp Max.
On forty-two minutes Augsburg captain Jeffrey Gouweleeu put in one of the challenges of the season sliding in to deny Oztunali. Luthe saved subsitute Onisiwo’s follow-up shot.
Six minutes were added for the injury to Awoniyi and Mainz could have equalised had the impressive Luthe not matched Mateta’s powerful header from six-yards.
Zerofivers’ fightback doesn’t materialise
Mainz made an attacking change at half-time bringing off defender Philipp Mwene and replacing him with midfielder Bote Baku which seemed to haul them back into the contest.
The Zerofivers pinned Augsburg back for much of the second-half and created a host of chances, but this gave opportunities for Augsburg to break.
Sarenren-Bezee was able to race to the Mainz goal with help from an obstruction by Daniel Framberger on Mainz midfielder Leandro Barreiro. Bezee got to the touchline and pulled it back to Vargas who curled his shot inches wide.
Substitute Andre Hahn could have scored with his first touch. Mainz defender Niakhate’s weak clearance across goal was intercepted, but the Augsburg midfielder’s shot was saved by Muller.
Referee Mario Fritz had to stop proceedings to calm the managers down ten minutes to the end of an absorbing encounter with both sides showing how much it means to remain in Bundesliga.
Mainz: Muller, Mwene, Brosinski, Niakhate, St. Juste, Oztunali, Latza, Barreiro, Mateta, Quaison, Awoniyi
Subs: Boetius, Kunde, Fernandes, Onisiwo, Szalai, Burkardt, Baku, Dahmen, Hack
Augsburg: Luthe, Max, Framberger, Gouweleeuw, Uduokhai, Sarenren-Bazee, Gruezo, Khedira, Richter, Vargas, Niederlechner
Subs: Lichtsteiner, Gotze, Suchy, Jedvaj, Koubek, Finnbogason, Hahn, Lowen, Oxford
Goals: Niederlechner 1’
Harry Jamshid Reporter Sports Pages 