Mainz make light work

Shinji Okazaki scored twice as Mainz claimed a 2-0 victory at home over bottom side Eintracht Braunschweig.

Shinji Okazaki scored two goals as Mainz finally returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory at home over bottom side Eintracht Braunschweig in the Bundesliga. The Japan international scored in the eighth and 68th minutes as Mainz ended a six-match winless streak. Mainz, who had not been victorious since taking the first three matches of the season, improved to 13 points. Promoted side Braunschweig remained at the bottom with four points. Mainz took the lead after eight minutes as Junior Diaz played a fine long diagonal from the left side and Okazaki ran on to the ball and volleyed a looping shot over Braunschweig keeper Daniel Davari. Okazaki nearly made it 2-0 in the 26th minute following a cross from Zdenek Pospech but his header went just inches over the bar. Okazaki was close yet again a minute later but his shot from the right side went wide. After Mainz had controlled the proceedings, Braunschweig finally got into the game and nearly found the back of the net after 38 minutes, but Karim Bellarabi's blast hit only the side netting. Bellarabi was a bit over-anxious two minutes later after winning a ball from Nikolce Noveski before shooting over the goal. Mainz regained control after the break and doubled the lead in the 68th minute on a counter attack with Johannes Gies feeding a long ball to Nicolai Muller for a cross from left of goal to Okazaki, whose first-time shot went past Davari. Mainz keeper Heinz Muller kept his sheet clean with a fine save in the 81st minute, fending away a deflection by his own defender Pospech.