Lee Jae-sung gets first goal of season as Mainz lose 2-1 to Werder Bremen

Lee Jae-sung picked up his first goal of the 2024-25 Bundesliga season on Sunday, tying things up in the 27th minute in what would go on to be a 2-1 loss for Mainz at home against Werder Bremen.

Lee Jae-sung of Mainz 05 celebrates scoring during a Bundesliga match against Werder Bremen in Mainz, Germany on Sunday. [XINHUA/YONHAP]

Lee Jae-sung picked up his first goal of the 2024-25 Bundesliga season on Sunday, tying things up in the 27th minute in what would go on to be a 2-1 loss for Mainz at home against Werder Bremen.

Mainz again opted to start their two Korean midfielders side-by-side in the middle, placing recent signee Hong Hyun-seok alongside veteran Lee until the younger player was subbed off in the 65th minute.

The game got off to a rough start for the home side, Mainz giving up a penalty in the eighth minute that Marvin Duksch turned into the goal to take an early lead.

Lee canceled out that mistake with a solo effort in the 27th to tie things up going into half time, volleying the ball from the edge of the box to beat Werder keeper Michael Zetterer.

Hong upped the pressure after the break, coming very close to scoring twice in the place of a couple of minutes, only for Werder to scrable a save at the last minute.

Hong Hyun-seok slides for a tackle during a Bundesliga match against Werder Bremen in Mainz, Germany on Sunday. [XINHUA/YONHAP]

The visitors even went down to 10 men in the 60th minute, captain Marco Friedl shown a direct red card for a foul on Jonathan Burkardt, but the difference in numbers did not seem to help the home side.

Werder added one more of their own in the 69th minute to secure the win, taking their first win of the season to climb up to eighth while Mainz drop to 15th with just two points in three games so far.

Mainz will be back in action on Friday as they take on Augsburg in the Bundesliga.

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