Lee Jae-sung heads in opener as Mainz beat Dortmund 3-1

Lee Jae-sung kicked off a big win for Mainz 05 on Saturday, heading in the opener in a 3-1 win over Dortmund.

Mainz's Lee Jae-sung scores the opening goal during a Bundesliga football match between Mainz and Dortmund in Mainz, Germany on Saturday. [AFP/YONHAP]

Lee Jae-sung kicked off a big win for Mainz 05 on Saturday, heading in the opener in a 3-1 win over Dortmund.

It was a dramatic game at the Mewa Arena in Mainz, Germany, with the visitors down to 10 men before the 30-minute mark when captain Emre Can saw a direct red in the 27th minute for a two-footed challenge on Lee.

The veteran Korean midfielder was quick to capitalize on the opportunity, heading in the opener in the 31st minute after a messy goalmouth scramble.

The play started with a cross in from Phillipp Mwene on the left wing, but was headed clear by a defender. Anthony Caci then appeared to attempt a volley from the right but kicked the ball straight into the ground, causing it bounce awkwardly back toward the goal was Lee was waiting to head it home.

Lee stayed at the center of the action for good or bad, giving away a penalty in the 40th minute that Serhou Guirassy converted to make it 1-1. Lee was then involved in the build-up of Mainz’s go-ahead goal in injury time, flicking the ball on to Danny da Costa who crossed it for Jonathan Burkardt to make it 2-1.

Mainz added one more after the break, this time without any involvement from Lee, with Mwene passing the ball across the box to Paul Nebel for No. 3. It was a big win for Mainz, who sit in twelth place on the Bundesliga table, five spots behind seventh-place Dortmund.

Lee will now join up with the Korean national team for two World Cup qualifiers, the first against Kuwait at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait on Thursday and the second against Palestine at Amman International Stadium in Jordan the following Tuesday.

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