With just one loss in their last eight Bundesliga games, Wolfsburg entered their clash with a similarly in-form Mainz side full of confidence.
That quickly became apparent when Jonas Wind broke in behind before audaciously chipping Robin Zentner to give the hosts the lead with just five minutes played. Just under 10 minutes later, Wolfsburg doubled their lead against a shell-shocked Mainz side as Sebastiaan Bornauw nodded home from Ridle Baku’s eighth assist of the season.
Having put five past Bochum last time out, everything pointed towards another mauling by Die Wolfe, and it became one before the half was over.
Baku was particularly impressive during a dominant opening half-hour, which culminated in a third goal for the hosts when the wing-back turned creator yet again, providing Wind with a simple tap-in at the back post for his second of the afternoon. A side on a club-record 10-game unbeaten run, which included defeating champions Bayern Munich last time out, suddenly looked at sixes and sevens.
After such a dismal first half, Mainz boss Bo Svensson introduced both Anton Stach and Aaron Caricol at the break in the hope of preventing a rout and perhaps even attempting an improbable comeback.
As the clock reached the hour mark, however, it became apparent that the visitors were set to suffer a blow to their European hopes, with Koen Casteels remaining untested in the Wolfsburg goal.
Instead, it was the hosts who came closest once more, when Patrick Wimmer found himself one-on-one with Zentner, only to see an attempted chip this time saved by the shot-stopper.
Given their record as the third-best defence in the Bundesliga this season, Wolfsburg’s defiance came as no surprise, sweeping Mainz aside for the second season running at the Volkswagen Arena to move into seventh, a point above their defeated visitors, and two points adrift of the top-six.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ridle Baku (VfL Wolfsburg)
