Mainz secured their Bundesliga status for another season thanks to goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Karim Onisiwo in a 3-1 victory over Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Mainz 3-1 Düsseldorf
Goals: 1-0 Mateta (1’), 1-1 Lukebakio (19’), 2-1 Onisiwo (67’), 3-1 Mateta (87’)

Mainz made the perfect start to the match with their attacking duo striking within the very first minute. Marcin Kaminski misread an aerial ball, which fell kindly to Onisiwo, who wasted no time finding Mateta in the middle of the box to score a tap-in. Despite constant pressure and a frantic pace in the early stages, a second goal was not forthcoming for the hosts, and Düsseldorf managed to draw level through Dodi Lukebakio inside the first 20 minutes. The Belgian mistimed his first kick as the ball found him in front of the Mainz goal, but he managed to get a toe to it at the second time of asking and poked it past Florian Müller. The two sides traded blows for the rest of the half with neither able to find a way through. On the stroke of half-time, Mainz had the ball in the back of the net again, only to see the goal disallowed for offside, leaving everything to play for after the interval.

The second half picked up where the first had left off, with the teams cancelling each other out. It looked as though Düsseldorf would take the lead after Lukebakio won a penalty just before the hour mark, but the Belgian saw his spot-kick rattle the post as the scores remained level. Less than 10 minutes later, the hosts had their lead back. A flowing move from a throw-in ended with the ball flashed across the Fortuna goal to the feet of Onisiwo, who gave Michael Rensing no chance. Mateta made the result sure with three minutes remaining after being played in by a clinical through ball from Jean-Paul Boetius. At the final whistle, the home fans could celebrate another year of top-flight football.

It took less than a minute for Mainz top scorer Mateta to get on the scoresheet against Düsseldorf. - imago images / Jan Huebner

Match stats

• Mainz remain unbeaten in their last four meetings with Fortuna (W3, D1).
• Mainz scored in the first minute of a match for the sixth time this season.
• Mateta has scored seven of his 12 debut-season Bundesliga goals at home.
• Düsseldorf’s opener was Lukebakio’s first goal from open play in 2019. His two other strikes this year have come from the penalty spot.
• Lukebakio has now scored 10 goals this season, making him the first Düsseldorf player to reach double digits since Thomas Allofs back in the 1990/1991 season.
• The Belgian’s miss from the spot was his first missed penalty in the Bundesliga.

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Line-ups

Mainz: Müller – Donati, Hack (Maxim 58'), Niakhate, Martin – Quaison (Baku 71'), Gbamin, Latza (c) (Kunde 88') – Boetius – Onisiwo, Mateta
Unused subs: Zentner, Bell, Brosinski, Ujah
Out: Adler (knee), Bungert (fitness), Holtmann (thigh), Mwene (knee)
Coach: Sandro Schwarz

Düsseldorf: Rensing – Zimmermann, Ayhan (c), Kaminski, Suttner – Hoffmann – Raman (Ducksch 81'), Stöger, Morales (Barkok 70'), Kownacki – Lukebakio (Karaman 76')
Unused subs: Theißen, Bodzek, Hennings, Bormuth
Out: Contento (cruciate ligament), Drobny (hand), Gießelmann (calf), Lovren (match fitness), Sobottka (groin), Usami (knee), Zimmer (ankle)
Coach: Friedhelm Funkel

About the clubs

1. FSV Mainz 05

MEWA ARENA

Fortuna Düsseldorf

Merkur Spielarena