By Angu Lesley
Football writer, kick442.com-Cameroon
German Bundesliga outfit Mainz O5 finally got their season on track this Sunday afternoon as their French Congolese descent striker Jean-Philippe Mateta scored a first half hat-trick to help his side record a four-nil win away at Freiburg of Cameroon-eligible Evan Obite N’Dicka.
Kunde returning from the international slightly fatigued was left on the bench.
Mainz entered the match-day eight encounter on the 18th spot on the log, with just a draw from their previous seven games.
The quick fire encounter had its first goal barely two minutes from kick off when Mateta pounced on an assist from 20-year-old Luxembourg midfielder Leandro Barreiro Martins.
It will soon be two in the 34th minute when Mateta single-handedly beat the vigilance of the Freiburg backline to find the back of the net protected by Muller for the host.
Boetus and Mateta combined to score the third through the latter, giving Mainz a comfortable three-nil lead they took to the half-time break.
Nils Petersen pulled one back in the 63rd minute.
Kunde Malong was introduced in place of Edimilson Fernandes in the 70th to add more energy in the middle of the pack.
The hero of the afternoon, Mateta made way for Korean forward Ji Dong-won with ten minutes of regular time left.
Coach Jan-Moritz Lichte’s Mainz 05 protected their two goals cushion till full-time, thus earning the first win of the season in their eighth attempt.
JP Mateta via Club’s media post-match: “I’m very happy with my three goals, but it was more important to take the three points. That was a team victory.”
With four points from eight games, Kunde’s Mainz move up to the 15th spot in the 18-Clubs championship ahead of their home game against 12th-placed TSG Hoffenheim next week.
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