Mainz 2 - 0 Koln : Mainz ensure Bundesliga safety - 7M sport

Mainz 2 - 0 Koln : Mainz ensure Bundesliga safety



Posted Sunday, May 17, 2015 by PA

Mainz ensured their place in the Bundesliga next season with a 2-0 win over Cologne, who guaranteed their safety a week ago.

Koo Ja-cheol and Jairo Samperio netted the goals for Markus Schmidt's men as any lingering fears of relegation were dispelled.

The win lifts them a point above their hosts with both sides set for a mid-table finish which they would have both signed for at the start of the campaign.

Shinji Okazaki did not give Thomas Kessler any work to do in the Cologne goal with his 22nd-minute shot, but it was a warning that this game still meant something to Mainz, who unlike their guests were not yet mathematically safe.

Yuya Osako saw a goal ruled out for offside before testing Loris Karius from a tight angle as Cologne responded well and gave those who thought it might be a dull goalless draw some food for thought.

Indeed it was not going to be a goalless draw and Koo ensured that early in the second half when he gave the hosts the lead.

Park Joo-ho's long ball was nodded down by Okazaki to the South Korean, who added the finishing touch to a goal made in the Far East.

Okazaki had the chance to double the hosts' lead shortly afterwards, but Kessler denied him and keeping the guests in the game.

Cologne started to show some signs of life themselves with Kevin Vogt denied by Karius after Bard Finne was also denied by the Mainz goalkeeper.

Vogt then wasted a glorious chance, shooting over from just inside the penalty area, before another Finne effort was kept out by Karius.

Mainz ended Cologne's hopes of grabbing an equaliser in the 83rd minute when Jairo was on hand to turn the ball in after Pierre Bengtsson's shot was only parried by Kessler, sealing a 2-0 win for Mainz.



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