Burkardt stars as Mainz down Augsburg

Mainz 4-1 Augsburg
Goals 1-0 Onisiwo 10' (assist: Widmer), 2-0 Bell 15' (assist: Burkardt), 3-0 Burkardt 26' (assist: Onisiwo), 3-1 Zeqiri 69' (assist: Hahn), 4-1 Burkardt 71' (assist: Onisiwo)

Mainz were all over Augsburg like a rash at the Mewa Arena, with Rafal Gikiewicz thwarting Burkardt and scrambling clear a deflection Reece Oxford knew nothing about inside five minutes. The opener arrived soon after when Karim Onisiwo slotted home Silvan Widmer's cross. Burkardt set up Stefan Bell for a cool finish five minutes later, before getting in on the act himself with a towering header from Onisiwo's inch-perfect delivery. The same duo combined again late in a one-sided first half, but Gikiewicz made the stop.

Mainz continued to cause Augsburg problems as Onisiwo tore away and dragged wide early in the second half. Ruben Vargas fired over from the edge of the area with Augsburg's first meaningful opening of note, before Daniel Caligiuri whipped a speculative effort wide. Substitute Andi Zeqiri managed to reduce the arrears with a smart first-time finish, but Mainz needed just 12 seconds to quash any hopes Augsburg had of staging a comeback. Burkardt smashed in Onisiwo's lay-off to complete his brace, and cap a superb individual display in front of watching Germany boss Hansi Flick.

• Mainz recorded their biggest win since Bo Svensson came in as coach in January 2021.
• Only Bayern Munich (16) and Bayer Leverkusen (11) have scored more first-half goals in the Bundesliga this season than Mainz (8).
• Burkardt marked his 50th Bundesliga appearance with his sixth and seventh goals.
• Onisiwo scored his first Bundesliga goal since 9 May 2021.
• Bell has scored 12 times in 212 Bundesliga outings.
• Augsburg are winless in 11 away Bundesliga games - an unwanted club record.

Mainz: Zentner - Hack, Bell, Niakhate (c) - Widmer (Brosinski 82'), Boetius (Stöger 76'), Kohr, Martin - Burkardt (Ingvartsen 76'), Onisiwo (Szalai 82'), Lee (Barreiro 64')
Unused subs: Dahmen, Lucoqui, Nemeth, Stach
Out: St. Juste (shoulder)
Coach: Bo Svensson 

Augsburg: Gikiewicz - Gumny (Strobl 46'), Gouweleeuw (c), Oxford - Caligiuri (Sarenren Bazee 84'), Maier, Gruezo, Iago - Vargas (Framberger 85') - Hahn (Pedersen 83'), Cordova (Zeqiri 46')
Unused subs: Koubek, Gregoritsch, Winther, Finnbogason
Out: Dorsch (ill), Jensen (ill), Niederlechner (groin), Uduokhai (muscular)
Coach: Markus Weinzierl