0:21
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WATCH: POHJANPALO: "THE BEST WAY TO START!"

New Union striker Joel Pohjanpalo scored just 35 seconds into his debut for the club in his side's 4-0 win over Mainz.
0:16
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WATCH: KRUSE: "MY PERSONAL GOAL IS TO KEEP UNION UP"

Union's Max Kruse scored his first goal for his new club in his side's 4-0 win over Mainz on Matchday 3, and his personal goals are based around his new team.
Full-time
88'

UNION IN CONTROL

The home side are ticking the clock down now with the scoreline comfortably in their favour.
83'

A BUNDESLIGA FIRST FOR UNION

This is the first time that the capital club have scored more than three goals in a Bundesliga game.
81'

HUGE CHANCE FOR POHJANPALO!

Ryerson takes over from Trimmel in style with a superb cross into the Mainz box and Pohjanpalo meets it with a diving header, but Zentner stays big to keep the ball out this time.
79'

CLOSE FOR INGVARTSEN

The scorer of Union's second tonight fires a free-kick at goal from the edge of the Mainz box. It's heading on target, but the ball does it's job and blocks the effort behind with Zentner stranded having dived the other way.
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WELCOME TO BERLIN, JOEL!

Pohjanpalo scored 35 seconds into his Union debut.
73'

ONISIWO BATTLES

The Mainz forward does well to win the ball back from the Union defence, pushing Schlotterbeck off the ball. Brosinski picks up possession on the edge of the home side's penalty area and fires goalward, but can't keep his effort on target. Another frustrating evening for Mainz.
70'

FUN POHJANPALO FACT

His goal tonight was his 8th Bundesliga goal. All of those have come as a substitute.
69'

TRIMMEL'S JOB DONE

The captain goes off with 20 minutes to play having assisted two of Union's four goals.
68'

NOT GETTING EASIER FOR MAINZ

The home side are showing no mercy here, looking to add to their four-goal lead with over 20 minutes left to play. Mainz looking to make sure this doesn't become a bigger defeat.
64'

FIRST TOUCH, FIRST GOAL!

Incredible stuff from Union as the substitute - who has been on for all of 30 seconds - hits his first goal for the club on his debut. Lenz's cross is deflected into the box but the Finn meets it, scuffing his first attempt, but recovering to fire the ball home after it had become stuck in his feet. Not the prettiest of finishes, but he won't mind at all.
64'
Joel Pohjanpalo
Goal probability
information
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
27 %
63'

IT'S THREE FOR UNION!

And it's another assist for Trimmel to make it three for Union. The home side's captain swings in another dream of a cross to the box and Friedrich leaps high to meet the ball ahead of St. Juste, sending a powerful header home beyond Zentner.
63'
Marvin Friedrich
Goal probability
information
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
8 %
60'

CHANGES FOR THE AWAY SIDE

Changes in attack and midfield as Burkardt comes on to replace Mateta, while 17-year-old Nebel comes on to replace Kunde.
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ZENTNER'S GOAL BUSY

All the action so far in this game has been going towards the Mainz goal, with Robin Zentner unable to keep out Kruse and Ingvartsen's efforts.
53'

MATETA BOOKED

The French forward just catches the face of Schlotterbeck with his hand as he attempts to latch onto a loose ball into the Union box. He's cautioned for that.
52'

PERFECT START FOR UNION, MAINZ NIGHTMARES

The home side have made a fantastic start to this second half, piling on the pressure again since doubling their lead. Mainz struggling to get on the ball for a considerable time with Union's pressing when not on the ball causing them problems, too.
49'

INGVARTSEN MAKES IT TWO!

All too easy for Union as Trimmel is played the ball in acres of space down the right. He swings in an outstanding cross to the back post where Ingvartsen is perfectly-placed to meet it. He catches it on the floor and calmly passes the ball in past Zentner.
Goal probability
information
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
39 %
46'

BACK UNDERWAY!

The second half is on in Berlin. Can Mainz show something different in this second half?
Kick-off!
Half-time
43'

OUTSTANDING FROM FRIEDRICH

Quaison is on his way to picking up a loose ball that's rolling into the Union penalty area, but Union's right-sided centre-back is perfectly placed having moved across the pitch to make a vital sliding tackle.
37'

MAINZ STRUGGLES

The away side's defence has gathered itself after conceding the opening goal, but things aren't flowing in attack for themselves. Still no shots on goal - on or off target - from the visitors as we quickly approach the break.
33'

SPEED DEMON

Sheraldo Becker has been causing a host of problems down the right wing so far for Union, using his blistering pace to his advantage.
Fastest runner (km/h)
33.8
32.1
Sheraldo Becker Pierre Kunde Malong
33'

TRIMMEL IN THE BOOK

The first yellow card of the game is shown to Union's captain for a foul on Kunde in midfield.
30'

SCHLOTTERBECK FORCES A SAVE

The centre-back comes out of defence with the ball and finds Lenz down the left. His cross is deflected but falls kindly to Schlotterbeck in front of goal at the near post after he'd followed his run, and his fierce shot forces Zentner into action.
28'

BIG CHANCE FOR KRUSE!

Hack misjudges a header and Becker latches onto the loose ball which had flown over the Mainz defender's head. He races to the edge of the Mainz box and curls the ball across to meet Kruse's run, but the only scorer tonight couldn't keep the ball on target, despite it being on his favoured left foot.
25'

MAINZ LACKING ACCURACY ON THE BALL

The away side have completed 128 passes so far, at just 78 percent accuracy compared to Union's 89 percent with 174 passes completed in total. The ball being given away easy by the visitors.
Passes
174
128
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FIRST START, FIRST GOAL!

Max Kruse back with a bang in the Bundesliga with his first goal for Union Berlin in just his third appearance in the league for the club.
19'

LOVELY MOVE AGAIN

Schlotterbeck's long ball to the right is headed down the line by Trimmel to meet the run of Becker. The winger's cross is wayward but almost ends up in the Mainz net with Zentner watching it go over his crossbar closely. The home side finding space down the wings so far.
18'

HOW WILL MAINZ RESPOND?

The away side have dropped off slightly since those opening minutes. Union being given more time on the ball with less pressing coming from Mainz. They'll need to build that intensity again before too long.
13'

IT HAD TO BE KRUSE!

On his first start in the colours of Union, Kruse has his first goal for the club. A tidy move down the right as Becker is sent in down the right behind the Mainz defence. He clips the ball to the back post and Kruse powers an unstoppable header through Zentner and into the back of the net. His first Bundesliga goal since April 2019.
13'

Max Kruse

GOAL!

1:0
Max Kruse
Goal probability
information
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
6 %
12'

FIRST GO AT GOAL

Lenz is afforded plenty of time and space to drive forward from the centre of the pitch. He reaches the edge of the Mainz box before being closed down and gets his shot away, but the left-back sends it high over the Mainz goal.
10'

EVEN STEVENS

Little to separate these two sides in the opening 10 minutes.
Possession (%)
53
47
5'

WARMING UP

Both sides having solid starts to this one. Mainz enjoyed most of the possession in the opening couple of minutes, with the home side having some time on the ball of their own since then. Both sides looking solid in their shapes and stable so far.
3'

4-3-2-1 FOR MAINZ

A three-man midfield is standing ahead of Mainz's back four with Boetius, Kunde and Latza forming a flat line across the middle. Ahead of them are Quaison on the left and Onisiwo on the right in support of Mateta through the middle.
1'

WE'RE UNDERWAY!

The away side gets things underway in their white away strip against the all-red of Union.
Kick-off!

HERE WE GO!

Kick-off is just moments away in the German capital as Union and Mainz open Matchday 3 for us tonight. Settle in and get yourselves ready for a game involving two teams desperate for their first wins of the campaign.
0:06
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WATCH: BEHIND-THE SCENES

Take a look inside the away dressing room in Berlin tonight where Mainz's stars will be getting ready for action. Less than 15 minutes to go now until kick-off and we have fans in the stadium, to support the home side.
2:25
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WATCH: KRUSE'S TOP 5 GOALS

The former Werder Bremen, Wolfsburg and Borussia Mönchengladbach forward will be making his 253rd Bundesliga appearance tonight, and his first start for Union. In case Bundesliga fans had forgotten what the German was capable of, here's a helpful reminder with his top five goals.

QUAISON THE HOPE FOR MAINZ?

Mainz opened the 2019/20 season with three successive defeats. They also lost their first three away games in a row and are winless in three league matches dating back to Matchday 33 of last season. In Robin Quaison, Mainz’s 13-goal top scorer in 2019/20, the away side have reason to believe in earning points tonight with the Swede having scored one and assisted another in two league matches so far this season.

THE GOOD AND BAD FOR UNION

Union also had a point to show for their first two games last season. They recorded their first win on Matchday 3 against Borussia Dortmund. The Berliners have also lost only one of their last five home games in the Bundesliga, including a draw with Mainz at the end of last season, but suffering that defeat at the hands of Augsburg on the opening weekend of this new campaign.
0:15
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UNION ARRIVE

The home side arrive for their second game at the Alter Föresterei of the season.

WELCOME BACK TO THE BUNDESLIGA, KARIUS!

Former Mainz goalkeeper Loris Karius is back in the Bundesliga, having joined Union Berlin on a one-season loan deal from English Premier League champions Liverpool. The 27-year-old is on the bench tonight with Andreas Luthe preferred to start once again having made an impressive start to life in the capital after his arrival from Augsburg in the summer.

UNION TEAM NEWS

The big news from Urs Fischer's starting line-up is that summer signing Max Kruse earns his full Bundesliga debut for the club, replacing Taiwo Awoniyi in the starting side this evening. The second change for the hosts tonight sees Marcus Ingvartsen come in for Marius Bülter.

MAINZ TEAM NEWS

A change of coach has brought no major changes to the starting line-up for tonight's game for Mainz. With Achim Beierlorzer replaced by Assistant coach Jan-Moritz Lichte in an interim capacity until further notice, Lichte has kept things relatively the same with just three changes - two enforced - to his side. Niakhate is suspended and Baku has joined Wolfsburg, with Hack and Mwene in for them. The other sees Kunde start in midfield ahead of Barreiro Martins.

UNION STARTING XI!

Luthe - Friedrich, Knoche, Schlotterbeck - Trimmel (c), Prömel, Andrich, Lenz – Becker, Ingvartsen - Kruse

UNION SUBS

Karius, Ryerson, Gießelmann, Griesbeck, Pohjanpalo, Awoniyi, Bülter, Endo, Teuchert

MAINZ STARTING XI!

Zentner – Mwene, St. Juste, Hack, Brosinski – Latza (c), Kunde – Onisiwo, Boetius, Quaison - Mateta

MAINZ SUBS

Dahmen, Martin, Killian, Öztunali, Tauer, Nebel, Barreiro, Abass, Burkardt

Welcome!

Here you will find the most important information on the game between 1. FC Union Berlin and 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Matchday 3 of the 2020/21 Bundesliga season.