A good result but clear room for improvement

“We asserted our authority on the contest from the very start,” said Martin Schmidt after Mainz’s dominant display in the first round of the DFB-Pokal. Captain Silvan Wider and Stefan Bell were also happy with their team’s performance on Sunday evening. Despite the 3-0 win, there is still a clear room for improvement.

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Martin Schmidt: “I think it was a fully-deserved win. We asserted our authority on the contest from the very start. Unfortunately we didn’t take the lead early on but getting the first goal was the key. We took full control when we went 2-0 up after the break. We showed how much quality we have at the top of the pitch and we created lots of chances but we need to be more clinical. Throughout the contest you got the feeling that getting into the next round was the most important thing and I think that we are ready to make a good start to the league season. The strikers who came off the bench picked up where the others left off and took their chances. Delano Burgzorg was unplayable when he came on and was involved in creating lots of chances. Marcus Ingvartsen and Angelo Fulgini also found their way into the contest successfully. We have now have lots of options in attack and we are we have more options.

We showed how much quality we have at the top of the pitch

Silvan Widmer: “We made a good impression from the start and we created lots of chances, that’s why I have a positive feeling overall. Of course we could’ve made sure of the win earlier on with the amount of chances that we created. We won’t get as many chances as that in the league and we have to take our chances sooner. Other than one or two moments it was also a dominant defensive performance and we were clearly the better team. That’s why we can be satisfied as we travel home but our focus now turns to the game in Bohcum.

It could have been more

Stefan Bell: We were dominant from the start, we were solid and we created a lot of chances not only from our possession but also when we won the ball. Before the break we should’ve scored more. We need to also be more clinical on the counter attack. We were, however, dominant and we got through unshaken and without extra time. I have the feeling that a lot of the basics are there but there are a couple of things we need to work on. That’s our mission and there is more to come.