Mainz climbed into third place in the Bundesliga with a convincing 3-1 victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach on Friday.
Goals from Paul Nebel and Dominik Kohr, either side of halftime, gave Bo Henriksen’s side full control.
Though Stefan Lainer pulled one back for the hosts in the final 20 minutes, Nadiem Amiri quickly restored Mainz’s two-goal cushion, sealing their fourth win in five league matches.
“It was a deserved win for us over 90 minutes,” Kohr told DAZN. “We’re happy where we are. We have 44 points; what a feeling. The way we play football, we belong up there.”
The victory takes Mainz to 44 points, two ahead of fourth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, who can reclaim third when they face Union Berlin on Sunday.
Mainz also hold a four-point lead over Freiburg, who sit just outside the Champions League spots and face RB Leipzig on Saturday.
With nine games remaining, Mainz are on course to secure European football for the first time since the 2016-17 Europa League group stage—and could even qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their 120-year history.
Defeat leaves Moenchengladbach in eighth place on 37 points, one behind Leipzig, who currently occupy the final European qualification spot.
