Late heartbreak as Mainz lose at home against BVB

1. FSV Mainz 05 suffered defeat on matchday 17 at home to Borussia Dortmund. The visitors won it in injury time thanks to a goal from Giovanni Reyna. Mainz took the lead in just the second minute via a Jae-sung Lee header, though that was cancelled out a minute later by a deflected Julian Ryerson strike.

Head coach Bo Svensson made two changes to the team that drew in Stuttgart at the weekend. The suspended Dominik Kohr was replaced by Jae-sung Lee, while Alexander Hack made way for Andreas Hanche-Olsen at the back. The Norwegian defender was therefore able to make his competitive debut for the club. Fellow new signing, Ludovic Ajorque, made the bench after only arriving at the club yesterday.

A crazy start

The game started brilliantly for the home side. Edimilson Fernandes whipped in the first corner and Lee was there at the near post to head in to make it 1-0 after just two minutes. However, the joy from the opening goal was short-lived when Dortmund full-back Julian Ryerson tried his luck from the edge of the box on his left foot. The strike was deflected by Fernandes and that left Finn Dahmen with no chance in the Mainz goal (3’). It was a crazy start to this early Wednesday night kick off, with further chances coming for the away team after their equaliser. Dahmen was on hand to deny firstly Youssoufa Moukoko and then Niklas Süle from distance. As Mainz sat back a bit, Dortmund came close via Karim Adeyemi, though his shot was always rising and therefore went over the bar.

The game calmed down somewhat after the first 15 minutes. Dortmund knocked it about well, but couldn’t create any good chances to score for a second time. Mainz were also a bit toothless in the remainder of the first half, with the most notable attack coming when Barreiro fired well wide from around 25 yards out (28’). Seven minutes before the break, Donyell Malen hit a low shot on target, which Finn Dahmen gathered comfortably.

Hard-fought second half

Both teams were unchanged for the second half. Mainz had the first chance, with Marcus Ingvartsen heading over from a Barkok delivery (50’). Just like in the first half, BVB had more possession and Mainz looked to break quickly once winning the ball back. One such example was when captain Silvan Widmer got down the right wing from a Barkok pass and sent a cross in. Onisiwo couldn’t get his effort on target, though (57’). Mainz were the stronger team at the start of the second half and Barkok was involved in the next chance too, this time crossing for Ingvartsen, who again headed over the bar (60’).

The visitors reacted to their slow start to the second half by making a triple change, while Svensson introduced Angelo Fulgini and Anton Stach in midfield. It was a hard-fought game and both teams looked to get forward in search of a potential winner. Dahmen was on his toes against Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Sébastien Haller, and, at the other end, Fulgini’s header was saved by Kobel. Svensson handed a debut to Ajorque in the 80th minute and the forward was quickly into his work. He headed it down for Barkok, who volleyed past the post. A few minutes later, the new signing was involved again, this time playing Stach through. The midfielder aimed for the far corner, but it unfortunately went wide. Academy product Brajan Gruda came on for his Bundesliga debut late on, shortly before Dortmund’s late winner. Haller flicked on a corner to the far post and Reyna was there to break Mainz’s hearts in stoppage time.

FSV are next in action on Saturday at home to VfL Bochum. That match is followed by the DFB-Pokal round of 16 tie against FC Bayern.