Mainz suffer 2-1 defeat at hands of Union

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30 May 2023, 22:15 yayınlandı

Mainz slipped to a 2-1 defeat to FC Union at the Alte Försterei on Saturday afternoon. After a relatively toothless showing in the first half, Svensson’s side found themselves 1-0 down at the break. Mainz upped their performance levels in the second half and deservedly equalised in the 78th minute after they we awarded a penalty for a handball. The hosts, however, broke the Zerofivers’ hearts with a late winner.

Martin Schmidt spoke after the game: “The draw was obtainable and it would have also been deserved. There were few chances for both sides and it was an even game until the 85th minute. Union are full of confidence and we didn’t quite hit the mark today. We need more conviction and we need to have the hunger to score when we’re in the box.”

Svensson made four changes from the side that faced Bayern in the week. Stefan Bell, Danny da Costa, Jae-Sung Lee and Karim Onisiwo came in for Aarón, Silvan Widmer, Aymen Barkok and Anton Stach.

It took both sides a while to get into the contest but the first chance fell to the hosts in the tenth minute, when Jerome Roussillon tested Finn Dahmen with a low, powerful shot. The keeper got down well to palm it away (10’). Union then had a chance from the resulting corner but Rani Khedira couldn’t quite hit the target with his header (11’). Mainz tried to play their way into the game and the plan was to hit early balls to Karim Onisiwo and Ludovic Ajorque, but the strikers couldn’t quite link up as they would have liked. The Zerofivers’ first dangerous moment of the half came in the 25th minute, when Danny da Costa put a superb low cross into the area. Frederik Rönnow, however, cut it out before it could reach Ajorque (25’). The French striker then had a chance a couple of minutes later, but his shot was no trouble for the Union keeper (28’). Shortly afterwards, Union took the lead. Paul Seguin put in a wicked cross from the right-hand-side and Behrens got the lightest of touches to flick it into the goal (32’). There was little action in either penalty area for the rest of the half and the hosts went into the dressing room 1-0 up.

Improved performance in the second half

Both sides came out unchanged for the second half and there was more action to speak of in the opening stages. Dahmen dealt with Rousillon’s shot (48’), before Danny da Costa skied his effort from range (52’). Dominik Kohr then had to leave the field after taking a couple of heavy knocks and he was replaced by Anton Stach (55’). The change didn’t have much of an impact on the dynamics of the game and although Mainz were enjoying more of the ball, they struggled to break down the resolute Union defence.

Svensson looked to his bench in the 71st minute and the Dane made a triple change in attempt to breathe some life into the game. Maxim Leitsch, Aymen Barkok and Marcus Ingvartsen came on for Danny da Costa, Jae-Sung Lee and Ludovic Ajorque. Ingvartsen was straight into the action and he put a dangerous ball into the penalty area in an attempt to find Barreiro. Ronnöw, however, got there first and the chance went begging (73’). Just a few minutes later, following a lengthy VAR check, Mainz were awarded a penalty after the ball struck the arm of Seguin. Marcus Ingvartsen stepped up to slot the ball past the goalkeeper to put his side back on level terms (79’). Mainz had forced the issue for much of the second half and the equaliser was fully deserved.

Jordan breaks Mainz hearts

The game sprung into life after FSV’s spot kick as both sides looked to find the winner. Unfortunately for Svensson’s side, it was Union who had the moment of magic. After FSV failed to deal with an FCU attack, Nico Gießelmann recycled the ball and it landed at the feed of Jordan in the penalty area. The substitute smashed it on the half volley past Finn Dahmen to put his side 2-1 up (84’). Mainz didn’t let their heads drop after the goal and they looked get back on level terms for a second time. Onisiwo won his side a corner after a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area. The Austrian had a headed chance from the resulting corner put he couldn’t quite hit the target (86’). The ball sat up nicely on the edge of the box for Barkok in injury time but the 24-year-old smashed it over the bar (90+1). This was FSV’s last real opportunity of the game and they ultimately fell to defeat in the capital.

After picking up 23 points from their 19 games, Mainz are sat twelfth in the Bundesliga table. Next up for the Zerofivers is a visit from FC Augsburg next weekend (Saturday, 11th February, 15:30 CET).