05ers pick up a point in Mönchengladbach

Bo Svensson’s side kicked off matchday 7 with a 2-2 draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday evening. Florian Neuhaus gave the hosts a deserved 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute, but the 05ers struck back just two minutes later through Brajan Gruda. Mainz’s academy graduate fired home the equaliser from a short corner, scoring his first Bundesliga goal in the process (24’). FSV grew further into the game in the second half and went ahead through Aymen Barkok (75’), but Joseph Scally had the final say, levelling things up at 2-2 in the 88th minute. 

Head coach Bo Svensson made two changes to his line-up from last weekend’s 3-0 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen. Tom Krauß replaced Dominik Kohr in the starting XI, whilst Ludovic Ajorque came into the side in place of Karim Onisiwo.

Gladbach apply pressure and take the lead

The opening stages at BORUSSIA-PARK belonged to the hosts, as they camped in Mainz’s half and won the first corner of the game after just a few seconds. Mainz briefly gained control after five minutes as they started to play the ball around, and won the ball high up the pitch in the attacking third. However, Borussia had the first big chance of the game, once again taking charge of the contest. Jordan Siebatcheu set Alassane Plea away after a mistake in Mainz’s defence, with his chip beating Robin Zentner, but also going narrowly wide of the left post (10’).

Once again, Mainz only briefly managed to break up the hosts’ spells of pressure with possession phases of their own, with Gladbach becoming increasingly dominant before eventually taking a deserved lead. Florian Neuhaus saw an effort blocked by Tom Krauß, Plea headed the subsequent corner over the bar (20’) and Bell got in the way of an attempt by Julian Weigl (21’) before Neuhaus finally gave Borussia the lead with a header (22’).

Gruda rocket brings Mainz level

Borussia’s opening goal seemed to spark Mainz into life. FSV immediately won their first corner of the game from a long ball, which promptly led to the equaliser. Edimilson Fernandes played the ball short along the ground to Gruda, who tried his luck from about 20 yards out and found the top corner to level the game at 1-1 (24’).

Although the equaliser seemed to bring increased calm to Mainz’s play, the pattern of the opening minutes of the game quickly resurfaced. Gladbach pushed Svensson’s side back into their own half at points and had further chances through Plea (28’) and Siebatcheu (33’). Mainz had possibly their best phase of the opening 45 minutes in the final stages of the first half, whilst Gruda’s effort from long range didn’t quite manage to catch out Moritz Nicolas in Borussia’s goal (30’). Following this, FSV threatened through shots from distance from Fernandes and Anthony Caci, but they were unable to find a second goal, with the two sides going into the break level at 1-1 (45’).

Big chances for Lee & Barkok

The start to the second half was balanced, with neither side managing to create clear goalscoring opportunities. Whilst Gladbach once again tried to put their stamp on the game, Mainz failed to make the most of their counter-attacking opportunities. Jae-sung Lee had the best chance – he was set free with just Nicolas to beat after Danny da Costa had won the ball back, but his left-footed shot was straight at the keeper (53’).

Lee’s big chance was the reward for Mainz’s performance in this period of the game as they managed to play further up the pitch in Gladbach’s half. However, that also meant that they left space with which the hosts could counter-attack, with substitute Nathan Ngoumou failing to beat Zentner from a tight angle, whilst the 05ers’ keeper also kept out Ko Itakura’s header from the following corner (69’). Mainz once again threatened after recent substitutes Anwar El Ghazi and Aymen Barkok linked up with one another on the far side, but the latter was unable to find a way past Borussia’s goalkeeper with his tame effort (72’).

Barkok scores, Zentner brilliant – but Gladbach find an equaliser

Barkok managed to find a way past Nicolas three minutes later as he set off on a solo run down the left flank, before finding the far corner with his shot. As was the case after Gladbach took the lead in the first half, when Mainz immediately fought back, Borussia immediately had big chances to equalise, but Zentner made three key saves. FSV’s captain twice denied Tomas Cvancara from close range, whilst also getting a hand to Ngoumou’s dangerous header (79’).

However, Zentner was left with no chance by Scally, whose effort from the edge of the box flew beautifully into the far corner (88’). A crazy end to the game then followed with both teams looking to snatch victory – Gladbach, however, had the more dangerous chances. FSV were on edge when Cvancara lined-up a free-kick deep into added time, but the wall did its job. It remained level at the full-time whistle. 

Up against the champions after the international break

First, FSV will have a weekend off during the upcoming international break, before FC Bayern München are the visitors at the MEWA ARENA the following Saturday on matchday 8 (21st October, 18:30 CEST).

BORUSSIA MÖNCHENGLADBACH 2-2 1. FSV MAINZ 05 

Goals: 1-0 Neuhaus (22’), 1-1 Gruda (24’), 1-2 Barkok (75’), 2-2 Scally (88’)

Starting XI: Zentner - Caci (79’ Papela), van den Berg, Bell, Fernandes, da Costa - Lee (70’ Barkok), Barreiro, Krauß (85’ Kohr) - Gruda (70’ El Ghazi), Ajorque

Referee: Sven Jablonski

Attendance: 51,529