Can Uzun double and Noah Atubolu penalty save help Eintracht Frankfurt beat rivals Mainz
Can Uzun scored either side of half-time, while Noah Atubolu saved his sixth consecutive Bundesliga penalty as Eintracht Frankfurt beat regional rivals Mainz to claim their first league win of Adi Hütter’s second spell in charge.
Mainz 1-3 Eintracht Frankfurt
Goals: 0-1 Uzun 9’ (assist: Burkardt), 0-2 Burkardt 45’+1 (assist: Maluze), 0-3 Uzun 60’, 1-3 Tietz 89’ (assist: Ruoppi)
Missed penalty: Amiri 43’
Mainz boss Urs Fischer made just one change to the side that started last weekend's 5-0 victory at Hamburg, with goalkeeper Robin Zentner preferred to Alexander Schwolow between the sticks.
Hütter, meanwhile, handed a full Bundesliga debut to Noëll Aséko, who was joined in the Eagles' team by Jeremiaha Maluze. Mario Götze and Younes Ebnoutalib had to settle for a place among the substitutes.
Uzun, Burkardt & Atubolu star for Eintracht
Frankfurt struck early when Kacper Potulski inadvertently released Jonathan Burkardt, who raced clear and squared unselfishly for Can Uzun to stroke home the opening goal with nine minutes on the clock.
Mainz pushed for an equaliser and were handed a golden opportunity to get back on level terms when Raphael Onyedika brought down Sheraldo Becker inside the area, but Nadiem Amiri's spot kick was saved by Atubolu - who has now saved the last six penalties he has faced in Germany's top division.
Things went from bad to worse for the home side moments later as Burkardt pounced on another loose ball deep inside the Mainz half before lashing an unstoppable shot past Zentner to give Eintracht a two-goal cushion at the break.
Uzun at the double!
Mainz emerged from the interval with greater purpose, but Phillip Tietz's low effort from the edge of the box - which rolled straight into Atubolu's arms - was the closest they came to reducing the arrears in the early stages of the second period.
Instead, it was Frankfurt who struck again when substitute Götze teed up Uzun, who finished coolly to double his personal tally and all but end the game as a contest.
Tietz turned home Otto Ruoppi's cross to net a late consolation for the home side, but it was too little, too late for Fischer's charges.
Man of the Match: Can Uzun
Mainz never properly got to grips with Uzun, who picked up 56 percent of the Man of the Match vote on the back of an influential display at the MEWA Arena.
The youngster could have completed his hat-trick in the second half after latching onto a loose ball inside the box, but he failed to get his shot away before being crowded out by the Mainz defence.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Mainz 2.08 - Frankfurt 2.23
Fastest player: Sheraldo Becker (Mainz), 34.78 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-3 by Phillip Tietz (Mainz), 11 percent
Pass efficiency: Stefan Posch (Mainz), +3.31
Fantasy Heroes: Can Uzun (Eintracht Frankfurt, 353 Points), Jonathan Burkardt (Eintracht Frankfurt, 268 Points), Noah Atubolu (Eintracht Frankfurt, 250 Points)
