Mainz's away win at Schalke keeps Phillip Tietz flying

Phillip Tietz has five Bundesliga goals in six games, and that run carried FSV Mainz 05 to a 1-0 win at FC Schalke 04. He scored the only goal in the 24th minute at the FC Schalke 04 vs FSV Mainz 05, while Schalke were left without a home league goal again.

Tietz's form and Mainz's travel run

The goal tally is the obvious headline, but Mainz's away form is doing just as much work. They have won three straight away matches and are unbeaten in eight Bundesliga away games.

SPORT1's translated match report went a step further, saying Mainz were celebrating their fifth away win in a row, while Bundesliga.com's report put the run at three straight away wins. However it is framed, the basic point holds: Mainz are handling away games far better than most clubs at this stage.

Tietz is the player setting the tone. Five goals in six league appearances is a strong start by any standard, and it gives Mainz a forward who is finishing chances at a pace Schalke could not match on the night.

Schalke's home problems deepen

Schalke started brightly enough, with Loris Karius making a double save in the opening minute to deny Sheraldo Becker and Hee-Chan Hwang. After that, the match turned on Tietz's finish and Schalke never really recovered.

Their home issues are now impossible to ignore. FC Schalke 04 are still waiting for their first home Bundesliga goal of the season, and they remain stuck on five points from five league matches.

There was also a setback for Edin Džeko, who had to go off injured in the 60th minute after a head wound. It added another messy layer to a night that already left Schalke under growing pressure and Mainz with another clean away result.