Mainz 2 Schalke 1: Baumgartlinger fires Europa League charge

Julian Baumgartlinger’s first Bundesliga goal sealed a 2-1 win over Schalke on Friday and saw Mainz climb into the Europa League qualification places.

The Austria international moved to Coface Arena from Austria Vienna in 2011 and has endured a long wait before finally opening his account.

The drought-breaker proved to be a valuable strike, earning all three points for Martin Schmidt’s men and moving them up to fifth place, level on 33 points with their beaten visitors and one ahead Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach, both of whom are in action later this weekend.

Hosts Mainz took the lead in the 33rd minute through Gaetan Bussmann, the French defender arriving at the back post and seizing on a loose clearance from a corner to lash home past Ralf Fahrmann.

It was also his first goal for Mainz, having arrived from Metz in the off-season.

Schalke equalised a minute into the second half, Younes Belhanda hooking the ball home after Loris Karius had done well to keep out Max Meyer’s initial shot following good work by Leroy Sane at the byline. 

Mainz regained the lead with 11 minutes to go courtesy of a well-worked goal.

Bussmann was involved again, winning possession before triggering a swift exchange of passes that ended with Yunus Malli lofting a perfectly weighted cross to the back post, where Baumgartlinger was on hand to nod home what proved to be the winner.