Lee Jae-sung goal leads Mainz to first win of season

Lee Jae-sung scored a late opener to lead Mainz to their first Bundesliga win of the 2023-24 season on Saturday, nodding in a clinical header in the 76th minute to kick off a 2-0 victory over RB Leipzig.

Mainz's Lee Jae-sung celebrates after scoring during a Bundesliga match against RB Leipzig at the Mewa Stadium in Mainz, Germany on Saturday. [AP/YONHAP]

Lee Jae-sung scored a late opener to lead Mainz to their first Bundesliga win of the 2023-24 season on Saturday, nodding in a clinical header in the 76th minute to kick off a 2-0 victory over RB Leipzig.

Lee’s goal was followed by a second from Leandro Barreiro four minutes later, ending a winless run that has seen Mainz drop deep into relegation territory with just three draws and nine losses before Saturday’s game.

Leipzig, meanwhile, sit near the top of the table with six wins, two draws and only one loss before Saturday, making it a promising victory for a Mainz squad that have really struggled to find direction this season.

The goal was Lee’s second of the season, his first having come against Eintracht Frankfurt back in August.

Mainz's Lee Jae-sung celebrates after scoring during a Bundesliga match against RB Leipzig at the Mewa Stadium in Mainz, Germany on Saturday. [AP/YONHAP]

Lee is a veteran midfielder and regular starter with the Bundesliga club, signing a new contract over the summer that could see him remain in Mainz until 2026. He played 34 league games during the 2022-23 season and picked up seven goals and four assists — the most goal contributions during his Bundesliga career.

After starting his career in Germany with 2. Bundesliga club Holstein Kiel in 2018, Lee joined Mainz in 2021 and quickly settled into the squad. As an experienced midfielder, he often takes a set-up role for the club, similar to the role he has fallen into over 75 appearances with the Korean national team.

Lee’s strong bond with Mainz and the fans was clearly on display on Saturday. After the game, Lee was seen climbing into the stands to celebrate with the club’s fans, leading a section of the club’s Ultras in a chant in a video posted on the official Mainz 05 X, formerly Twitter, account.

Saturday’s win was also the first game under interim manager Jan Siewert, replacing Bo Svensson earlier in the week after the Danish manager stepped down.

"The football business is brutal, there are things that you can't explain,” Mainz Sporting Director Christian Heidel said after the game. “Jan said to me after the game that this is also a victory for Bo Svensson. The luck of the game has returned and we have no individual mistakes.

“The boys threw everything into it, we performed exactly as you have to in a relegation battle. Jan contributed to that, just as we had hoped. The pressure is a little less today, but nothing more."

Saturday’s game came after Mainz on Friday terminated Danish footballer Anwar El Ghazi's contract following his social media posts in connection with the Israel-Hamas conflict.

El Ghazi was suspended in October but had been cleared to return on Monday. He then posted a new statement on social media on Wednesday, with the club terminating his contract two days later on Friday.

"My position remains the same as it was when this started," El Ghazi wrote.

"I am against war and violence. I am against the killing of all innocent civilians. I am against all forms of discrimination. I am against Islamophobia. I am against anti-Semitism. I am against genocide. I am against apartheid. I am against occupation. I am against oppression."

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]