Lucoqui, Szalai and Stöger fire Mainz past Fürth

Mainz 3-0 Greuther Fürth
Goals: 1-0 Lucoqui (15'), 2-0 Szalai (18'), 3-0 Stöger (90'+2)

Newly-promoted Fürth travelled to Mainz in search of their first win of the season, but the Rheinlanders had other ideas. The hosts opened the scoring after a quarter of an hour when Anderson Lucoqui found himself in acres of space, bearing down on the Fürth goal. His first shot was parried by keeper Sascha Burchert, but only as far as Leandro Barreiro, who smartly played a pass back out to Lucoqui who smashed the ball through the keeper's legs and into the back of the net. Mainz were invigorated and hungry for more. They didn't have to wait long. When the men in black and green lost the ball in Mainz's half, the 05ers sprang into action, this time with a long ball out to the right to Silvan Widmer, who struck his cross first time into the box. Adam Szalai displayed the same confidence and determination, lashing his volley into the net to double the score. The goalscorers nearly combined to produce a third as Mainz continued to have the upper hand across the rest of the first half.

At the start of the second half, things looked to go from bad to worse for Fürth, with the referee blowing for an early penalty for handball, only for the decision to be reversed for offside. Fürth’s best chances to get back in the game came through substitute Jamie Leweling, who replaced Julian Green after an hour. The 20-year-old made an immediate impact, seeing his first shot blocked and nearly converting a chance from long range from the resulting corner. Try as they might, Fürth were simply unable to overcome this Mainz side clearly enjoying their return to Bundesliga action in front of their adoring fans. With his last two changes, Mainz coach Bo Svensson withdrew Lucoqui and Szalai to the sound of rapturous applause. Fresh off the bench, Kevin Stöger added his name to the scoresheet to cap off a wonderful day for those in red.

• Mainz like an early goal: They opened the scoring in the 12th minute against Leipzig on matchday one, and in the 15th minute today.
• Lucoqui and Szalai made their first starts of the new campaign and repaid their coach’s faith with a goal each.
• Mainz have lost just one of their last seven home Bundesliga matches under Svensson (W3, D2).
• Fürth have never got a point in the Bundesliga after a two-goal deficit.
• Green has produced 21 goals and seven assists in Bundesliga 2, but is eight Bundesliga appearances without a goal involvement.
• Mainz was the venue of Fürth’s first-ever Bundesliga win back on Matchday 2 of 2012/13. They recorded just three more wins, though, before suffering an immediate return to the second tier.

Mainz: Zentner - St. Juste, Bell, Niakhate (c) - Widmer, Barreiro, Kohr (Stach 76'), Lucoqui (15') (Martin 89') - Boetius (Lee 83') - Burkardt (Onisiwo 76'), Szalai (18') (Stöger 89')
Unused subs: Dahmen, Brosinski, Nebel, Hack
Out: Nemeth (not included)
Coach: Bo Svensson

Fürth: Burchert - Meyerhöfer, Bauer, Hoogma, Itter (Christiansen 46') - Seguin, Sarpei, Green (Leweling 60') - Nielsen (Dudziak 72') - Abiama, Hrgota (c)
Unused subs: Funk, Fein, Seufert, Willems, Tillman, Barry
Out: Jung (knee), Kehr (groin), Ngankam (knee)
Coach: Stefan Leitl