Union Berlin routs Mainz 4-0 for biggest Bundesliga win

By: CiaráN Fahey, The Associated Press Posted: 3:33 PM CDT Friday, Oct. 2, 2020 Last Modified: 5:25 PM CDT Friday, Oct. 2, 2020

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BERLIN - Former Germany striker Max Kruse launched Union Berlin to a 4-0 rout of Mainz for its biggest ever Bundesliga win and its first of the season on Friday.

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BERLIN - Former Germany striker Max Kruse launched Union Berlin to a 4-0 rout of Mainz for its biggest ever Bundesliga win and its first of the season on Friday.

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This article was published 02/10/2020 (2192 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BERLIN – Former Germany striker Max Kruse launched Union Berlin to a 4-0 rout of Mainz for its biggest ever Bundesliga win and its first of the season on Friday.

Finland forward Joel Pohjanpalo also scored, just seconds after coming on for his debut, to wrap up an unhappy start for new Mainz coach Jan-Moritz Lichte.

Former assistant coach Lichte took over Mainz on an interim basis on Monday when the club fired Achim Beierlorzer after losing its first two games and players boycotted a training session in support of a demoted player, Adam Szalai.

FSV Mainz's Jean-Philippe Mateta, left, vies for the ball with Berlin's Grischa Promel during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Union Berlin and FSV Mainz, at the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei, in Berlin, Friday, Oct. 2, 2020. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)

Union, which is bidding to survive its second season in the Bundesliga, has no such problems.

Kruse opened the scoring in the 13th minute with his first goal on his first start for the club. Sheraldo Becker crossed from the right and Kruse’s powerful header set off celebrations among the socially distanced supporters in attendance.

Up to 4,400 fans were allowed in Stadion an der Alten Försterei under measures designed to combat the risk of coronavirus infections. Normally 22,000 would attend.

Union continued pushing forward against the harmless visitors, but failed to convert any more chances before the break.

That changed early in the second half, when Union captain Christopher Trimmel had plenty of space to cross for Marcus Ingvartsen to convert from close range.

Marvin Friedrich scored with a header to a free kick in the 63rd, and Pohjanpalo made the most of more lacklustre defending when he scored a minute later. The goal came seconds after the Finland forward came on in place of Kruse for his Union debut after joining on loan from Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday.

“We were there at the right moments,” Union coach Urs Fischer said. “Now we have to keep our feet on the ground.”