Lee lifts Mainz with carnival double

Mainz 3-1 Augsburg
Goals: 1-0 Lee (21’), 2-0 Onisiwo 24’ (assist: Barreiro), 2-1 Demirovic (28’, pen.), 3-1 Lee (52’)

It was carnival time in Mainz, but it was the guests from Augsburg who brought more colour to the opening exchanges with Dion Beljo trying to trick a way through. In the party atmosphere at the MEWA Arena, the guests then turned a little too charitable to allow Lee to put Mainz in front with their first attack. Lee capitalised on a slip by Felix Uduokhai to pickpocket the Augsburg defender and bring the ball into the penalty area. He squared it for Ludovic Ajorque, who got a lucky break to turn the ball back towards the South Korean. Both hesitated as to who would turn the ball into the unguarded goal before Lee ultimately took responsibility to plunder his fifth goal of the season. Augsburg extended even more charity to their hosts as Rafal Gikiewicz’s poor punch fell nicely for Leandro Barreiro, who unselfishly sent his header to the far post where Karim Onisiwo was unmarked to nod in a second. The carnival atmosphere was now in full flow, but a VAR check threatened to spoil the party, as a penalty was awarded for an unseen handball. Ermedin Demirovic stepped up to convert his first ever Bundesliga spot-kick. After another Gikiewicz carnival turn, Ajorque had a gilt-edged opportunity to add a third, but he was denied on the line by Jeffrey Gouweleeuw.

Another defensive mistake let Lee in for his second and Mainz’s third early in the second half, as Robert Gumny served the South Korean the ball on a plate with Gikiewicz off his line and easy for Lee to bypass. Augsburg coach Enrico Maaßen made three changes on the hour mark and the moves looked to have paid off with a quarter of an hour let when Fredrik Jensen bundled the ball in from close range, but a VAR review called the Finn offside from fellow substitute Kelvin Yeboah’s pass. It would have set up a grandstand finish, but instead dashed all of Augsburg's hopes of a recovery as the hosts held firm. Lee was given a standing ovation as he was replaced by Aymen Barkok, and the fans remained on their feet enjoying the carnival atmosphere, buoyed by their team's third home win of the season and three vital points.

• Six goals in a season sets a new personal record for Lee, who has four in his last four games.
• Onisiwo has produced four goals and two assists across his last six (of 12) meetings with Augsburg. He's only fared better for total goal involvements against Cologne (three goals and three assists in nine games).
• Onisiwo also reached a new personal single-season best with his eighth of the campaign.
• Only two of the 24 Bundesliga meetings between Mainz (W11) and Augsburg (W11) have ended in draws.
• Augsburg have not won on the road since a Matchday 8 victory over Schalke (D1, L4), and this was their 11th defeat of the season - more than they have ever had after 20 games of a campaign.

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Mainz: Dahmen - Hanche-Olsen, Bell, Fernandes (Hack 90'+2) - Da Costa, Barreiro, Stach, Lee (Barkok 80'), Caci - Onisiwo (Weiper 90'+2), Ajorque (Ingvartsen 70')
Unused subs: Rieß, Kohr, Gruda, Martin, Leitsch
Out: Burgzorg (ankle), Burkardt (knee), Widmer (thigh), Zentner (back)
Coach: Bo Svensson

Augsburg: Gikiewicz - Gumny, Gouweleeuw (c), Uduokhai - Maier (Yeboah 62'), Veiga (Colina 62'), Rexhbecaj, Engels (Dorsch 62'), Demirovic - Beljo (Jensen 46'), Berisha
Unused subs: Koubek, Bauer, Baumgartlinger, Sarenren Bazee, Caligiuri
Out: Cardona (foot), Hahn (knee), Iago (match fitness), Oxford (match fitness), Strobl (cruciate ligament), Vargas (ankle)
Coach: Enrico Maaßen