Amiri brace secures another three points

Unspectacular, but deserved. 1. FSV Mainz 05 won their third home game of the year on Saturday afternoon. After a sluggish first half, the 05ers improved after the break against FC Augsburg and celebrated an ultimately comfortable 2-0 victory. Both goals were scored by Nadiem Amiri from the penalty spot.

Head coach Urs Fischer made two changes to the side that started the win in Leipzig. Dominik Kohr served his suspension last weekend and so came into the side for Kacper Potulski, while Silas came into the attack in place of the injured Benedict Hollerbach.

A first half of few highlights

Mainz’s very first foray into the Augsburg box was a successful one. Stefan Bell, in what was his 301st Bundesliga appearance as a 05er, was brought down by Elvis Rexhbecaj, leading referee Patrick Ittrich to point to the spot. It was a tricky decision, as it was difficult to spot whether there was clear contact. As a lack of contact also couldn’t be proved, the referee’s decision stood and Amiri stepped up to smash the penalty home, as he had done the week before in Leipzig – 1-0 FSV (8’). Immediately after the restart, Claude Maurice fired from distance and forced Daniel Batz into his first outstanding save of the afternoon. Mainz’s goalkeeper made an even more impressive save nine minutes later, parrying a wickedly swerving effort from Claude Maurice out for a corner. During this phase, the visitors were the more active and dangerous side, while the 05ers mostly sat back and only managed to create half-chances at best. The best of these was a fantastic cross from Silas that flashed through the middle without finding anyone.

It was a hard-fought contest, but not much of a footballing spectacle. Mert Kömür had a chance to equalise from a narrow angle just before the half-hour mark. Lee had the game’s next noteworthy effort, striking a shot on the turn (44’). The half ended with a great chance for Silas, but his header was simple enough for Mainz academy product Finn Dahmen to save (45+3’).

FSV set the tone and score a second from the spot

The hosts emerged from the break unchanged and could have doubled their advantage early on. Lee got down the right-hand side and delivered into the box for Amiri to give to Silas. The attacker fired an effort from just inside the box and forced Dahmen into a save (49’). Mainz then countered through the middle two minutes later, but Amiri and Widmer got in each other’s way as they tried to get on the end of Tietz’s pass. Augsburg made four changes before the hour mark, however it took until the 62nd minute for the 05ers to switch personnel. Last-minute signing Sheraldo Becker came into the fray for the exhausted Silas and got straight into the action. Good play between Amiri and Lee led to the attacker getting his first shot away as a 05er, but it flew high over the bar (66’). Despite the numerous changes, the visitors struggled to find their way back into the game and took until the 69th minute to register another shot through Clause Maurice, but Batz was there again to deny him.

Kömür had another great chance at the start of the closing phase, but Batz was there yet again to deny him (77’). Straight down the other end, Amiri got past Kade and into the box, where the FCA player brought him down, leaving Ittrich with no choice but to point to the spot again. Amiri stepped up and beat Dahmen once more, putting himself firmly as the front-runner for Man of the Match. Stefan Bell of all people then nearly added a third in the 95th minute after a pass from Danny da Costa, but Dahmen was on hand to make a sharp save. That was the last action of a match that Mainz, especially considering their second-half performance, deserved to win.

Mainz now sit on 21 points after 21 games, which moves them out of the relegation places for the time being. The 05ers’ next test comes in Dortmund next Friday (20:30 CET), before Hamburger SV visit the MEWA ARENA exactly a week later.