Two sending offs and late VAR Drama: Mainz top Augsburg in Friday night thriller

Bo Henriksen's FSV Mainz 05 have collected their first win of the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign, prevailing over Jess Thorup's Augsburg in a Friday night home fixture that served as the curtain-raiser for match-day four of the season. Ejections on both sides forced both Danish head-coaches to make multiple in-game tactical adjustments. In the end, it was Henriksen's touch that remained a touch ahead of his compatriot. Some late VAR drama that broke against the hosts will surely generate controversy. 

Henriksen made two the squad that lined up against Bremen last Sunday Andreas Hanche-Olsen took over for Maxim Leitsch along the back line. Jae-Sung Lee - unavailable on short notice due to a thigh issue - was replaced by Bayern loanee Armindo Sieb. Henriksen's Danish counterpart saw no need to employ any changes following last Sunday's success against St. Paul. Thorup kept all personnel in place and maintained his new and eminently  successful 3-4-2-1 system.

A somewhat sloppy start to the match from both sides left the game devoid of highlights until the Pfäzler guests scored the opening goal on the first real chance of the game. New starter Sieb headed home a Phillipp Mwene cross in the 13th, slightly aided by the fact that the service took a slight deflection over new Augsburg starter Frank Onyeka. Less than two minutes later, Mainz doubled the lead. This time, luck played no role on a fantastic team goal.

Jonathan Burkardt polished off another Mwene cross in the 15th. Burkardt, along with teammates Dominik Kohr and Hyunseok Hong were also involved in the lead up. Burkardty had a chance to increase the lead further in the 22nd, but slipped when attempting to line up a promising distance effort. The hosting Bavarians then found their way back into the match. 

Newly re-anointed FCA captain Jeffrey Gouweleeuw did a splendid job setting up new summer signing Keven Schlotterbeck off a sharp free-kick service from Schlotterbeck's fellow new Augsburg addition Marius Wolf in the 25th. Augsburg produced a fine set-piece team goal of their own. Moments after Schlotterbeck's tally, FSV keeper Robin Zentner stopped Ruben Vargas from equalizing in the 27th. 

Matters quickly went from bad to worse for the guests. Midfield talisman Nadiem Amiri earned himself an ejection from proceedings with two quick succession yellow cards in the 33rd and 35th. Thorup's Fuggerstädter came very close to equalizing several times before the half was out. Unrelenting Augsburg pressure continued through three minutes of first-half added time. 

Fortunately for the Henriksen's crew, Mainz were able to cut through an Augsburg tactical change just after the restart. Thorup's men weren't quite set in a new 4-4-2 when FSV sub Aymen Barkok and Hong combined to set up Burkardt's second goal of the match in the 49th. Augsburg were finally able to make the man advantage count when Essende headed in a Dimitrios Giannoulis cross for the 1-2 in the 57th.

Again, Augsburg came within a hair's breadth of equalizing. Zentner and Hanche-Olsen had to clear a combo from the FCA striking tandem of Essende and Steve Mounié in the 66th. Two minutes after that, however, the man-advantage was negated when VAR reviews confirmed that a 68th Essende kick of Kohr merited a straight red card. 

The two coaches once again shuffled their respective cards. Augsburg sub Yusuf Kabadayi came close to netting the 3-3 in 83rd. Zentner only denied an artistic overhead finish from Mounie via an amazing save in the 90th. To top things off, a dramatic finish nearly saw Augsburg gifted a chance to equalize from the penalty spot at 90+6. 

After VAR review, however, match official Sören Starks ruled that FSV skipper Silvan Widmer's contact on Schlotterbeck in the box was deserving of a penalty. It was such that Mainz were able to hang on through 12 full minutes of injury time and eke out the 3-2 victory. More late VAR drama against Augsburg will surely leave Thorup in less than a sportsmanlike mood.