Mainz 05 ran out 4-0 winners against a Rheinhesse XI on Wednesday night in a charity match. The goals were scored by Armindo Sieb (40’, 42’), Taiyu Yamasaki (63’) and Daniel Gleiber (89’). The game during the international break was played to help collect donations for seven-year-old Liam Brunner, who is fighting a brain tumour.
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Sieb brace after a slow start
The first 20 minutes featured few noteworthy moments with no big chances for either side. The Rheinhesse XI were solid against their Bundesliga opponents and managed to get on the ball themselves too. However, as the half went on, FSV took control of the game and stepped up the pace to get into the final third more often. Mainz’s opponents were then happy to sit back and wait for chances to attack on the break, which often proved dangerous but didn’t result in a goal.
The deadlock was finally broken against a disciplined outfit in the 40th minute. Kaishu Sano put the ball into the box from the right and Armindo Sieb was on hand to open the scoring. Two minutes later, he got his second, this time with a header (42’), giving FSV a 2-0 lead at the break.
Several changes, two more goals
Head coach Bo Henriksen made 10 changes to his side for the second half. The new-look XI took a short while to find their feet and, just like the first period, the second half was a slow burner. Taiyu Yamasaki added to Mainz’s lead in the 63rd minute, before the Rheinhesse XI had a few bright moments from counter-attacks, which again ended in nothing. Instead, FSV grabbed a fourth goal before the end via Daniel Gleiber (89’). It was an extremely emotional evening, one in which the result certainly wasn’t the most important thing.
1. FSV Mainz 05 – Rheinhesse XI 4-0
Goals: 1-0 Sieb (40’), 2-0 Sieb (42’), 3-0 Yamasaki (63’), 4-0 Gleiber (89’)
Starting XI: Rieß - Jenz, Bell, Leitsch - da Costa, Kohr, Amiri, Caci, Barkok, Sano - Sieb
Substitutes: Batz, König, Ugljanin, Gabriel, Imafidon, Götze, Amann, Gleiber, Yamasaki, Müller, Schulz (all came on 46’), Mata (77’)