Comfortable victory in second friendly

1. FSV Mainz 05 won their second consecutive Friday-night friendly of pre-season, despite going behind at the Koblenzer Stadion Oberwerth from a Yusupha Sawaneh opener (2’). However, Bo Svensson’s side didn’t let that get to them and replied within the following five minutes, turning the game around courtesy of goals from Aymen Barbok (5’) and David Mamutovic (7’), and Ludovic Ajorque went on to make it 3-1 in the 17th minute. Ajorque (39’) and Brajan Gruda (43’) added to the scoreline at the end of the first half. The second period started with a shock for the Zerofivers as Maxim Dal left the field on a stretcher with a knee injury, but Delano Burgzorg added a sixth goal from the spot in the 74th minute.

FSV reply swiftly after going behind

Mainz, who wore black armbands as they mourned the passing of former Mainz striker Gerhard Bopp, found themselves 1-0 down with the first chance of the game (2’). A long ball over the top of the Mainz back line left Sawaneh free in front of Daniel Batz’s goal, who kept his cool in the one-on-one situation to give the hosts the lead. 

However, Mainz shook off the early shock and replied just three minutes later. Gruda was untouchable as he dribbled down the byline, and he squared it to Barkok who simply had to tap it in for the equaliser (5’).  Shortly afterwards, the young Mainz talent provided the next goal, by playing Mamutovic through on goal who then fired a left-footed shot into the back of the net to give Mainz the lead (7’). Mamutovic sent another fierce effort towards goal (11’) and Ajorque also had a chance to build the Zerofivers’ lead (13’), but both were unsuccessful. However, the latter was able to add to the scoreline five minutes later from the penalty spot (17’) following some excellent goalkeeping from Batz at the other end.

Ajorque scores a second spot-kick

After an eventful start, the tempo of the game reduced somewhat: Sawaneh hit the woodwork from a Koblenz corner (31’), Mamutovic’s pass to Ajorque was a whisker away (33’) and captain for the day, Dominik Kohr, was denied by TuS keeper Jonas Bast (37’). A few minutes later, Gruda was fouled in the box which gave Ajorque another opportunity from twelve yards, and he chose the opposite corner to score the Zerofivers’ third (39’). Gruda then got his reward for an electrifying first-half showing in the form of Mainz’s fifth shortly before half time (43’).

“We were great in attack, we created lots of chances and scored five goals. I wasn’t so pleased with our defensive performance, though,” head coach Svensson gave a mixed review of the first half.

Dal injury comes as a shock, Burgzorg adds a sixth

A completely changed side came out for the second half, but they were all still wearing the same brand-new 2023/24 away kits. Once again, it was the home side who created the first chance of the half, as Yassine Maingad tested Lasse Rieß almost straightaway (45’). However, the events of the start of the second half were overshadowed by the knee injury of U17 European champion Maxim Dal, who stayed down after a challenge and had to be stretchered off after receiving some initial treatment (52’). An exact diagnosis will be made soon. 

Whilst the Zerofivers had regained control of the game, and Anton Stach and Ben Bobzien both had efforts on goal, Mainz were lacking a bit of the consistency in the final third that was so prominent in the first 45 minutes. However, Svensson's side gave one more example of their decisive nature in front of goal in the final quarter of an hour: Eniss Shabani played an excellent pass to Burgzorg, who stayed cool in front of goal to make it 6-1, which turned out to be the final goal of the game (74’).

"We were a bit too static and didn't move the ball quick enough. But the speed of the second half overall was lower," Svensson have his thoughts on the second half.

Goals: 1-0 Sawaneh (2'), 1-1 Barkok (5'), 1-2 Mamutovic (7'), 1-3 Ajorque (17', pen.), 1-4 Ajorque (39', pen.), 1-5 Gruda (43'), 1-6 Burgzorg (74')

Mainz's first-half XI: Batz - Leitsch, Hack, Schulz - Mamutovic, Rupil, Kohr, da Costa - Barkok, Gruda, Ajorque

Mainz's second-half XI: Rieß - Wilhelm, Bell, Dal (52' Schulz) - Kraft, Papela, Shabani, Caci - Bobzien, Burgzorg, Stach

Attendance: 2,293