Mainz looked the winning side in the first half already after Adam Szalai's (l.) 2-0
Mainz looked the winning side in the first half already after Adam Szalai's (l.) 2-0

Mainz snatch first win; draws in Wolfsburg and Düsseldorf

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Munich - Matchday 4 saw 1. FSV Mainz 05 get the better of FC Augsburg, while VfL Wolfsburg and Fortuna Düsseldorf had to settle for just a point against SpVgg Greuther Fürth and SC Freiburg respectively.

1. FSV Mainz 05 2-0 FC Augsburg


Mainz set the tone early on, taking the lead after ten minutes when Stefan Langkamp's attempted clearance cannoned into the net off Andreas Ivanschitz. Adam Szalai was making a nuisance of himself against a static-looking Augsburg back four, but Langkamp went some way to atoning for his earlier error with a vital clearance moments later.

The home side were beginning to purr, and deservedly stretched their lead in the 25th minute as the lively Szalai turned Paul Verhaegh inside-out before poking home. Augsburg striker Torsten Oehrl tried to force the issue shortly before the half-time whistle, but Christian Wetklo stood his ground in the Mainz goal.

Up to task


Mainz came out after the break determined to extend their lead, with captain Nikolce Noveski glancing wide from Ivanschitz just two minutes in. Szalai and Eric Choupo-Moting were running the Augsburg line ragged at times, but the 05ers were just as impressive at the back as Junior Diaz hooked clear from Augsburg substitute Tobias Werner.

Augsburg certainly didn't hold back in their efforts to reduce the arrears, but Aristide Bance was unable to sneak the ball past Wetklo from a tight angle following a prolonged spell of possession. Fresh Mainz legs took the sting out of any Augsburg momentum, though, as Thomas Tuchel's men picked up their first win of the campaign with minimum fuss.

VfL Wolfsburg 1-1 Greuther Fürth


Bas Dost, scorer of Wolfsburg's only goal in their first three matches, returned to Felix Magath's starting eleven after recovering from injury while Fürth's coach Mike Büskens started two new players in Thanos Petsos and Ilir Azemi after last week's defeat to Schalke 04.

While chances were at a premium in a largely uneventful first-half, the guests looked the far more threatening side. Sercan Sararer could have opened the scoring when he picked up a brilliant ball from Stephan Fürstner, but failed to get the better of Diego Benaglio from a tight angle. Ten minutes later, Fürth's goalkeeper Max Grün hoofed the ball up the field and Emanuel Pogatetz failed to intervene immediately, allowing it to bounce twice before clumsily putting it into his own net via his shoulder. Sararer could have doubled the lead to reward his good run, but instead Ivica Olic levelled the score three minutes from half time when he nodded in Thomas Kahlenberg's attempt that had come back off the bar.

It was a similar story in the second half, but the Wolves started looking sharper near to the hour mark as they tried to up the pressure. However, they had limited success. Playmaker Diego was at the heart of their best moves,
but substitute Vieirinha couldn't control the Brazilian's clever pass, while Kahlenberg twice failed to head the ball into the back of the net. Grün produced a routine save from Naldo's free-kick, but the visitors almost caught Wolfsburg cold when Sararer hit the post from long range in the dying stages.

Fortuna Düsseldorf 0-0 SC Freiburg


With Fortuna chasing their fourth clean sheet in as many Bundesliga games, coach Norbert Meier unsurprisingly kept faith with the same starting line-up that held VfB Stuttgart to a goalless draw on Matchday 3. The home side's trademark dogged resilience was on show from the get-go, and when SC Freiburg did manage to work some space on the flank, Fortuna keeper Fabian Giefer was equal to the task.

Fortuna carried the greater attacking threat for much of the first half, with Freiburg lacking the necessary invention to unlock the Fortuna door from open play, and Andriy Voronin passing up a decent opportunity to play in Danny Schahin following a promising counter for the hosts.

Four games and counting


Looking to become the first side to breach the Düsseldorf back four this season, the visitors started the second half pressing high up the pitch. Meier's charges were always a threat on the counter, though, as Schahin almost got on the end of Robbie Kruse's inch-perfect delivery after 52 minutes.

Both coaches signalled their intent with a string of attack-minded changes, and it was the introduction of Rafael that so nearly won it for the home side, with the substitute desperately unlucky to see his close-range effort come back off the crossbar deep into added time.