Mainz crush Dortmund to the brink of safety

MAINZ:

Mainz beat second-tier Borussia Dortmund 3-0 on Saturday to climb out of the Bundesliga’s bottom three as Cologne came back to beat Union Berlin on a crucial day in the relegation battle.

Sitting in the relegation play-off spot at kick-off, Mainz stunned the visitors with a three-goal lead in just 23 minutes.

Leandro Barreiro opened the scoring on 12 minutes, before Lee Jae-Sung scored twice in three minutes as the hosts broke through a much-changed Dortmund side.

Mainz, now eight games unbeaten since an 8-1 defeat by Bayern Munich in March, realistically need just a point from their final game of the season at Wolfsburg to secure another season in Germany’s top flight.

With Dortmund’s Champions League qualification for next season now guaranteed and the Champions League final against Real Madrid on the horizon, Dortmund manager Edin Terzic has made changes.

Defender Nico Sloterbeck was the only starter from the side that won in Paris on Tuesday and although Jadon Sancho, Ian Maatsen and Julian Brandt came off the bench at half-time, they could not turn things around.

Terzic defended the decision to make sweeping changes to Dortmund’s line-up, insisting his selection was no different to the side that beat Augsburg 5-1 last weekend, with three changes from that side.

“We built the squad similar to what we did last week,” Terzic told Sky Sport Germany.

“We had a similar formation, only this time we were always inferior in the duels. Mainz punished the mistakes we made in the first half with icy precision. That’s why it’s a well-deserved defeat.”

Dortmund are now four points behind fourth-placed RB Leipzig, who drew 1-1 with Werder Bremen earlier on Saturday.

But one place behind Dortmund in sixth, Eintracht Frankfurt are a long way off Terzic’s side and drew 1-1 at Borussia Monchengladbach in the penultimate game of the season.

At the other end of the table, Mainz’s win leaves Union Berlin, who blew a 2-0 lead in Cologne earlier in the day, to lose 3-2, languishing in the relegation race.

Cologne teenager Damion Downes came off the bench to score a 92nd-minute winner, keeping their hopes of a miraculous escape alive.

Union were 2-0 up inside 19 minutes with Robin Knoche’s header and Kevin Volland’s penalty putting the Berliners in complete control.

A Florian Kainz penalty just before half-time gave Cologne hope, but Union’s lead remained intact until the 87th minute when Cologne pulled off a stunning comeback.

Steffen Tigges scored from close range to make it 2-2 and, with the Union still reeling, 19-year-old substitute Downs converted Linton Maina’s cross to raise the roof and give his side a priceless victory.

“We are very happy,” Cologne captain Kainz told Sky Sport Germany.

“It’s scary to play like that when you absolutely have to win the game. To turn it around, it was a hugely important win. Unbelievable.”

But Mainz’s victory means the best Cologne can hope for on the final day is to secure a place in the relegation play-offs at the expense of the Union.

The Union, who started the season in the Champions League but are now on a miserable run of two points from their last seven games, face a tough season finale against Freiburg — who remained in last European place after drawing 1 -1 against Heidenheim on Saturday.

Cologne travel to Heidenheim on the final day needing to pick up another win and hope Freiburg win in Berlin.

Goal difference and goals scored will also apply in this scenario, with Cologne needing a four-goal swing to finish above the Union.

One of Germany’s yo-yo clubs, Cologne, are looking to avoid a record seventh relegation since their first in 1998.

Bochum, who host champions Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday and travel to Werder Bremen on the final day, need a point from one of those games to ensure Bundesliga survival.