Three-goal Wolfsburg end Mainz's hot streak

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Wolfsburg - VfL Wolfsburg moved up to second in the table with a 3-0 win over 1. FSV Mainz 05.

Towering Naldo

Goals from Naldo, Ivan Perisic and Daniel Caligiuri were the very least what the Wolves deserved following an impressive attacking display that left the visitors nursing their first league defeat since going down 3-1 at Borussia Mönchengladbach on 3 May.

Mainz went into the game unbeaten in their last nine league outings dating back to last season, but that run was under serious threat early on at the Volkswagen Arena. Loris Karius had already been called on to make a couple of uncharacteristically unconvincing saves from Ivica Olic and Perisic, before Naldo rose unmarked to head home Marcel Schäfer's left-wing corner.

The hosts had their tails up and really ought to have doubled their lead with 23 minutes on the clock. Kevin De Bruyne measured his pass to perfection, but Caligiuri was unable to direct his header on target from seven yards. Mainz responded in kind through Filip Djuricic, whose low drive was met by the outstretched boot of Wolfsburg custodian Diego Benaglio.

Perisic on target


Wolfsburg threatened again before the half was up as Luiz Gustavo side footed wide with men over in the box. The hosts were flooding forward at will through Perisic and De Bruyne, although the Mainz back four were doing an admirable job of keeping balls into the box to a minimum. Naldo's opener nevertheless ensured Kasper Hjulmand went in at the break a goal behind for the first time in his still-early tenure as head coach.

Mainz would have fallen further behind were it not for a string of fine Karius saves to deny Olic and De Bruyne early in the second half. The home side were asking all the questions, though, and didn't have to wait long to extend their lead. Schäfer was again the man supplying the goods, with Perisic flicking Naldo's goalbound header into the net from close range.

Caligiuri strikes again


A look of resignation adorned the Mainz fans' faces as Wolfsburg threatened a third. De Bruyne's clever pass found substitute Maximilian Arnold, who controlled well and shot straight at Karius. A Johannes Geis free kick brought a rare save from Benaglio at the other end, before the crossbar spared the visitors further misery to keep out Arnold and Robin Knoche.

Olic rolled back the years with a vintage overhead effort, albeit one that lacked the necessary power to seriously test Karius, who was beaten one last time when Caligiuri tucked away Junior Malanda's exquisite pass for his third strike in two games with three minutes still to play.

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