Karim Onisiwo scored twice as Mainz gave themselves significant breathing space above the relegation zone with a deserved 3-0 win over Schalke.

Mainz 3-0 Schalke

Goals: 1-0 Onisiwo (18'), 2-0 Mateta (72'), 3-0 Onisiwo (84')

Mainz's Stefan Bell went within a whisker of the opening goal inside five minutes, but sent his header narrowly past the upright. Schalke had chances through Steven Skrzybski and Nabil Bentaleb, before Mainz took complete control of the contest. Onisiwo broke the deadlock with a thunderous finish after Danny Latza had made the most of a mistake by Daniel Caligiuri on the right-hand side, and only a low reaction save from returning Schalke goalkeeper Alexander Nübel prevented Anthony Ujah from doubling the home side's lead.

A strong save from Matija Nastasic aside, Mainz stopped Florian Müller had been a virtual spectator for much of the half and remained as much after the break. Moussa Niakhate had a stunning overhead effort ruled out for offside, before substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta headed in Aaron Martin's deflected cross to give Sandro Schwarz's men daylight. Onisiwo fired narrowly over, but put the seal on a superb display with a smart late finish to lift the 05ers seven points clear of Schalke and 14 above the bottom three.

Match stats

• Mainz registered their first goals against Schalke since February 2016.
• Onisiwo scored his third and fourth goals of the season. The Austrian had netted just twice in the league before 2018/19.
• Former Schalke midfielder Latza provided his first assists of the campaign.
• Mainz's seven-goal top scorer Mateta ended a run of four games without a goal.
• Mainz right-back Giulio Donati made his first start of the season.
• bottom three.
• Schalke's tally of 23 points from as many games is their worst at this juncture for 20 years.

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Line-ups

Mainz: Müller – Donati, Bell (c), Niakhate, Martin (Bungert 90') – Gbamin, Latza – Boetius (Maxim 87'), Öztunali, Onisiwo - Ujah (Mateta 63')
Unused subs: Zentner, Baku, Barreiro Martins, Holtmann
Out: Adler (knee), Berggreen (hamstring), Brosinski (knock), Burkhardt (muscular), Bussmann (flu), Huth (knee), Kunde (ill), Mwene (knee), Quaison (neck)
Coach: Sandro Schwarz

Schalke: Nübel – Sane, Nastasic, Bruma (Wright 69') – Caligiuri (c), Mascarell (Harit 57'), Rudy, Bentaleb, Oczipka – Skrzybski (Kutucu 63'), Uth
Unused subs: Fährmann, Mendyl, Matondo, Teuchert
Out: Embolo (foot), Stambouli (broken cheekbone), Burgstaller (ankle), McKennie (thigh), Konoplyanka (flu), Schöpf (knee), Serdar (suspended)
Coach: Domenico Tedesco

About the clubs

1. FSV Mainz 05

MEWA ARENA

FC Schalke 04

VELTINS-Arena