3-0 defeat at home to VfL Wolfsburg

26,750 fans were in attendance to see 1. FSV Mainz 05 lose 3-0 at the MEWA ARENA to VfL Wolfsburg on matchday 13. Patrick Wimmer put the away team ahead somewhat against the run of play after 33 minutes. Despite a decent Mainz performance for large parts of the game, they conceded twice late on. Maximilian Arnold’s free-kick made it 2-0 (70’) and former Mainzer Ridle Baku finished the game off with a third.

Head coach Bo Svensson made two changes to the team that lost heavily in Munich last weekend. Dominik Kohr replaced Leandro Barreiro and Marcus Ingvartsen took Jonny Burkardt’s place in the side.

Unlucky to be behind at the break

Mainz looked to control the game from the first whistle, but lacked a real cutting edge despite having lots of possession. It took 10 minutes for the first decent chance for the home side. Jae sung Lee won possession back as Wolfsburg looked to break from a Mainz corner and then played it to Karim Onisiwo. His cross found Aarón, but his effort was blocked on his right foot. Following this, Mainz managed to get in behind the Wolfsburg defence on several more occasions. Marcus Ingvartsen tried to dink the ball over Koen Casteels from a tight angle but the Belgian stayed big to deny him (22’) and then he made an excellent save from a deflected Kohr strike (27’). The Mainz midfielder struck the post from distance just two minutes later as well as Svensson’s men searched for an opener (29’).

During Mainz’s best period of the game, the away side took the lead against the run of play. Maximilian Arnold’s corner towards the back post was headed back towards goal by Lukas Nmecha. Patrick Wimmer then shot on the turn and found the bottom corner to make it 1-0 (33’). The run of play in the rest of the first half wasn’t too different: Mainz continued to attack but couldn’t find a goal or clear-cut chance.

Clinical Wolfsburg

Just like in the first half, Mainz were fighting hard for a goal in the second period, but again the final pass or ball was lacking. Crosses from Onisiwo (54’) and Stach (61’) couldn’t find their men, and then Edimilson Fernandes drove one just past the post (68’). At the other end, Mainz had the woodwork to thank when Felix Nmecha hammered a volley off the crossbar (59’).

Wolfsburg doubled their lead with a long-range free-kick in the 70th minute. Robin Zentner was deceived by the dip and swerve on Arnold’s strike and it flew past him into the back of the net. Mainz threw everything at their opponents, operating with three out-and-out strikers towards the end in Delano Burgzorg, Burkardt and Onisiwo. However, that led to gaps at the back and ex-Mainz man Ridle Baku was able to capitalise from a counter-attack to make it 3-0.

Away to Schalke, home to Frankfurt

Mainz’s next game is on Wednesday (20:30 CET) away to FC Schalke 04. The final game of 2022 will then be at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday, 13th November (15:30 CET).