Florian Niederlechner scored within the first minute to drive Augsburg a step closer to safety while Mainz dropped into more danger.
After just 43 seconds, Augsburg wasted no time getting to work and took the lead when Mainz just cleared a throw-in as far as Carlos Gruezo, who headed over the defense into the box and a leaping Florian Niederlechner bounced it over Florian Müller in goal to end a 10-match drought and set a new personal high of 12 goals this season.
Halfway through the first half was interrupted when Taiwo Awoniyi’s Liverpool loanee clashed heads with Felix Uduokhai as they went up for a goal.
The Nigerian had to be stretched off after several minutes of treatment and was luckily conscious when taken to hospital. Ruben Vargas had previously fired high on a counter-attack before Mainz found its feet.
Jean-Philippe Mateta came close twice, first seeing an attempt that Philipp Max had cleared off the line after rounding Andreas Luthe and then seeing a near-range header tipped over from a corner by the goalkeeper’s fast reactions.
However, it was almost deja-vu at the beginning of the second half, as Augsburg came within inches of a second when Vargas had a deflected attempt to net roof less than three minutes after the restart.
After the cutback from Noah Sarenren Bazee, the Switzerland international then came closest again but was only able to curl its effort away from the post.
The hosts dominated in every statistical area except on the scoreboard and knew they had been undone by an early lapse of concentration. The result leaves the 05ers with three remaining games, only three points clear of safety. On the other hand, Augsburg knows that they’re all but guaranteed Bundesliga football in 2020/21 with a seven-point cushion over the relegation spot of the play-off.
