Two of the Bundesliga's out-of-form sides clashed on Sunday afternoon as Augsburg took on Mainz 05, with the hosts taking a narrow 2-1 win.
The hosts were the better team in the first half and went in at the break a goal up courtesy of Andre Hahn, but could have been more ahead if not for some poor finishing.
In the second half Hahn added his second but a penalty from substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting made the final 30 minutes close, but the hosts held on for the win.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Hello Bundeslifa fans! We have the final two games of the weekend for you right here on SM. First up is Augsburg against Mainz from the SGL Arena.
Both these sides are near the bottom of the Bundesliga form table, although the visitors will be in brighter spirits having finally ended an awful run with their win over Braunschweig last weekend. The hosts have just one point from 15 and have slipped to 15th.
Augsburg at least have been reasonable at home this season, where they have taken seven points from a possible 15. It is in stark contrast to their away form - and they will be looking to win games such as this one if they are to stay away from danger.
The teams are in, so I'll get that right across.
AUGSBURG XI: Hitz; Ostrzolek, Callsen-Bracker, Klavan, Verhaegh; Baier, Werner, Hahn, Vogt, Altintop; Molders
MAINZ XI: Muller; Pospech, Svensson, Noveski, Junior Diaz; Soto, Park, Bell, Geis, Okazaki; Polter
So the biggest news in that Augsburg lineup is that Markus Weinzierl has lost patience with former Arsenal goalkeeper Alex Manninger and brings in Marwin Hitz between the sticks. Manninger has conceded eight in three and now has to work his way back into the team.
For Mainz, Shinji Okazaki is key. He had a fine game in the win over Braunschweig, scoring both the goals, and really makes their attack tick. On form, he's very hard to stop but does tend to blow hot and cold.
The odds, with Augsburg about evens, tell us that they are the favourites today - Mainz at 3/1 - but I'd be tempted by the draw at 5/2. I'm going for 1-1 this afternoon.
KICKOFF: We're underway then, so let's hope for a good game! Augsburg in green, Mainz orange.
Bit of a scrappy start to this one. Augsburg have seen more of the ball, but neither side has created anything close to a threat as yet. The ball is in the air quite a lot early on.
MISS! Andre Hahn is brought down by Junior Diaz and Augsburg have a free kick wide on the right with Werner stepping over it. It comes in and the man who was fouled turned it over from two yards! What a miss!
CLOSE! Park meets a cross from Polter as the far post and it deflects off Verhaegh but fortunately for him straight at the wrong-footed Hitz, who concedes the corner. From it Okazaki's ball goes too far and out of play.
Mainz are now seeing a lot more of the ball now, but cannot penetrate the Augsburg defence who are sitting quite deep. It could well be 1-1 with the chances at either end, but we remain goalless for now.
Really good defensive header from Diaz as Augsburg were looking threatening. It was Werner who crossed from the left and it looked to be dropping for Hahn, but Diaz leapt magnificently to flick it off the head of the winger.
Very even in the last few minutes, although Augsburg are getting on top. Hahn is their most active player and is all over the pitch in attack at the moment.
Big chance for Okazaki there but the ball is cleared off the line as he looked to turn it in. Augsburg have had a lot of the ball but that was a huge chance!
Park gets a chance following some shaky defending from the hosts. Park tries a half-volley from the edge of the box and it looked goalbound until Callsen-Bracker got his big frame in the way.
GOAL! Augsburg 1-0 Mainz (Andre Hahn)
Baier clips the ball over the top and Hahm controls it really well to get it into his path and slot past Muller. No side has ever lost four in a row after taking the lead, but that is what will happen if the hosts end up being beaten here.
BOOKING: First card of the game goes to the away side and Noveski for bringing down Hahn.
The crowd are really playing their part here and are encouraging the hosts to hold on to this lead. In truth they look more likely than Mainz to get the next goal, but while it is 1-1 they will stay nervy.
CHANCE! Werner goes for goal, but Altintop might well have been the better option. He's played down the left and drives inside, and opts to shoot from an angle instead of putting it across goal. A really hard angle to score from and he puts it both wide and high.
Can Mainz get another chance before the break? At the moment it doesn't look likely as their passing is not good in the final third. They have a free kick now about 40 yards from goal with Okazaki pulled back.
CHANCE! Molders's first look at goal that, and he'll want to have done better. Great ball from Ostrzolek but Molders skews it wide.
CHANCE! Hahn drives a low shot from an angle, which is pushed away by a strong arm from Muller and it goes agonisingly past Altintop as he looked for the rebound.
HALF TIME: Augsburg 1-0 Mainz
Augsburg had a good couple of chances late in the half and they're certainly good value for their lead. They might think that they should be more than a goal up and they probably have a point.
Mainz have had their chances too, with Okazaki putting an effort into the side netting from an angle and Park having a header deflected off a defender and just turned wide by the keeper, but they have been second best overall.
The defensive changes made by Weinzierl have so far been good. His side have had one or two shaky moments at the back but they have looked better than in their previous few games. He will want a second goal, however, and will urge his side to stop squandering chances.
We're almost set for the second half. As it stands I expect Augsburg to grab the next goal, but confidence is not high in the squad and not conceding in the next 10 minutes will be crucial.
MAINZ SUB: Christian Wetklo is on for Muller in goal, and Nicolai Muller comes on as well for Svensson - an attacking change, but I assume Muller the keeper was injured.
KICKOFF: After the subs, we are back underway here for the second half.
SAVE! Wetklo is called into action early then, as Molders rises high to head and the keeper tips it over the bar. A comfortable save, but a nice early touch.
What a brilliant turn that almost was from Molders. Ostrzolek drilled in a cross low and the striker flicked it over his man before slipping as he tried to get back on to it.
GOAL! Augsburg 2-0 Mainz (Andre Hahn)
What a fine finish that is from Hahn! Werner's ball through to Hahn beats the offside trap and Wetklo might think he's done enough to get an arm on the ball and force Hahn wide, but the winger spins and curls it in from a really tight angle. His defence should have been back on the post as Wetklo could not have done much better.
What have Mainz got in them now? Muller came on to create chances and now he's really going to have to have a good game or his side will be defeated here. They have been nowhere near the standard they managed against Braunschweig last week.
CHANCE! Pospech should score there! First Soto's cross is really good from the left, but it ends up at the feet of Klavan, who tries to play it out of trouble and is robbed by Pospec, who drills his shot at Hitz!
OFF THE BAR! Altintop is inches away from a wonderful goal. He's played in and Wetklo comes out really quickly to meet it, so the Turkish international adjusts his feet and chips the keeper but sees it come back off the bar with Werner heading the rebound wide. Great effort.
MAINZ SUB: Thomas Tuchel has played all his cards already. Maxim Coupo-Moting comes on for Soto in the final change for the visitors.
PENALTY TO MAINZ!
BOOKING: Callsen-Bracker is into the book for what is deemed to be a foul on Polter. It's a pull on the shirt and is silly, in truth from the centre-back.
GOAL! Augsburg 2-1 Mainz (Maxim Choupo-Moting)
Surprisingly it's the substitute who steps up to take the penalty, but he confidently side-foots it into the left top corner sending Hitz the wrong way. In the space of a few minutes a potential 3-0 becomes 2-1. Game on.
BOOKING: Polter rides his luck having won one penalty and takes quite a dreadful dive, leaving his knee in as he tried to go past Pospech and is rightly booked.
AUGSBURG SUB: Askadiusz Milik, on loan from Leverkusen, comes on for Molders, who has struggled a bit today.
Mainz look a lot more comfortable on the ball since the penalty and are seeing more of it too. Choupo-Moting has been particularly bright as Park is through but the referee stops play after a coming together in the box. Muller fouled Werner in the box in a 50-50.
BOOKING: Verhaegh is booked for the visitors as they also make a change. Jeong Ho-Hong is on for Altintop.
Possibly another penalty there and it's Polter going down once more. The Augsburg players are furious at him, the referee waves play on and at first glance there might have been a slight claim for him.
It's still Mainz with much of the play at the moment. They are pressing and harrying off the ball, and really do sense that they can get something from this.
Stefan Bell escapes a booking there for a foul on Verhaegh. Augsburg then break through Hahn, whose effort from the right side this time goes into the side netting only.
Augsburg have a free kick here from about 30 yards. It's laid off to Hong, and almost takes a bobble in front of Wetklo but the substitute keeper gets behind it well and hangs on.
Geis swings in a corner but it's too deep and Okazaki can't make anything of it beyond the far post. Noveski is then too eager and concedes a foul in the box. The hosts just want to hold on here.
Risky goalkeeping by Wetklo there who comes to punch a corner but completely misses it and it goes beyond him for a goal kick. He got away with that as there was no Augsburg player lurking for a tap-in.
SAVE: Baier has a half-chance from range, which is deflected behind for a corner. Werner goes across to take it and Milik smashes it goalwards after it bobbled about, but Wetklo is down well to save.
RED CARD! Wetklo is off! Milik was played through and the keeper got it all wrong to take him out. They've made all their subs so an outfield player will go in goal. Wetklo completely misjudged his header!
It's Polter, who began his career as a goalkeeper, who goes in goal. Not a bad option then. He has been booked for diving already and this time is successful as he springs to his left to stop a free kick. Good save.
AUGSBURG SUB: Marcel de Jong comes on for Werner, who has been so solid.
BOOKING: Junior Diaz is the latest to go in the book, as four minutes of time get added on.
Late chance for Okazaki, whose shot goes wide. He thinks there was a deflection but there wasn't and it's a goal kick. Possibly their last chance, that,
FULL TIME: Augsburg 2-1 Mainz 05
So Augsburg hang on for the three points in a game that had everything! Join me in a few minutes for Bremen vs. Hannover. Until then.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
