Augsburg safe with three games to spare thanks to 2-0 win over relegation-threatened Mainz
Augsburg secured their Bundesliga status for next season with a 2-0 win over a Mainz side, who go into the final three games of the season with just goal difference keeping their heads above water.
Augsburg 2-0 Mainz
Goals: 1-0 Gregoritsch (29'), 2-0 Finnbogason (90+2')
Alfred Finnbogason, back in the Augsburg team for the first time in almost three months, made his presence felt as the hosts held the upper hand early on, and it was the Finn who provided an intelligent assist for Michael Gregoritsch to open the scoring with a composed finish on the half-hour mark – his 12th of the season. It was a deserved lead for the Bavarians, who had chances to increase it heading into the break, but for the heroics of Rene Adler in the Mainz goal.
The Bavarians' counterattacking style had worked well in the first half, and they continued with the same approach in the second 45 minutes, almost doubling their lead when Finnbogason was put through only for an alert Adler to intervene. Marco Richter missed an even better opportunity, with Adler making an excellent save, as the hosts looked to turn the screw. Levan Öztunali's shot from distance was about the closest Mainz came to threatening Marwin Hitz's goal as the guest committed men forward, going too far when Adler went up for a corner and Finnbogason put the result beyond doubt on the break.
Match stats
- Augsburg had picked up just six points from their previous nine league games, and failed to win in their past four.Gregoritsch and Finnbogason equalled Andre Hahn's club record number of single-season goals from 2013/14 with their 12th goals of the season.Pablo De Blasis wore the Mainz captain's armband for the first time in the Bundesliga.Finnbogason had the Augsburg armband on for only the second time.Finnbogason & Co. are now certain of top-flight survival with this win moving them onto 40 points, ten clear of Mainz with just nine left to play for.
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Line-ups
Augsburg: Hitz – Gouweleeuw, Khedira, Hinteregger – Schmid, Koo (Janker 63'), Gregoritsch (Cordova, 83'), Max – Caiuby, Richter (Heller 73') - Finnbogason (c)
Unused substitutes: Luthe, Parker, Kacar, Danso
Absentees: Opare (not considered), Framberger (ankle), Jakob (knee), Reinthaler, Moravek (both suspended)
Coach: Manuel Baum
Mainz: Adler – Donati (Muto 79'), Diallo, Hack – Serdar, De Jong, Gbamin, Latza (Maxim 67') – Öztunali, Quaison (Ujah 61'), De Blasis (c)
Unused substitutes: Müller, Onisiwo, Baku, Holtmann
Absentees: Bungert (hamstring)
Coach: Sandro Schwarz