Burkardt & Weiper on target as FSV win on the road

1. FSV Mainz 05 recorded their 10th win of the Bundesliga season in the final game of matchday 22 to end a run of three straight away defeats. Two home-grown players found the net to hand the 05ers a largely comfortable 2-0 victory away in Heidenheim. Jonny Burkardt handed his side the lead ahead of the break before Nelly Weiper provided the second goal shortly after the restart.

Bo Henriksen made two changes from his line-up that began the goalless draw against Augsburg eight days prior. Anthony Caci returned to the team following suspension, replacing club captain Silvan Widmer. Jonny Burkardt was also able to start for the first time since sustaining an injury away to Bayer Leverkusen in January with Jae-sung Lee moving to the bench.

Burkardt makes the first chance count

In icy conditions in Heidenheim, the game also took a decent while to heat up. Both sides looked reluctant to take risks, lying in wait, ready for any potential mistakes from their opponents. The first half-chance of the evening fell the way of the hosts following a corner ball, but Tim Siersleben sent his shot well wide of the target (12’). FSV then became the more active of the two teams, gradually getting nearer the home net. A good chance seemed to have arisen following a turnover when Burkardt slipped in Nelson Weiper, but the striker was prevented from shooting by Patrik Mainka (16’). Caci then crossed to the back post a few minutes later where Phillipp Mwene was on hand but he turned the ball wide from a promising position (20’).

The game found it hard to settle into a natural rhythm on a greasy pitch. FSV strung the better passing sequences together but FCH ultimately retained the majority of the possession. Robin Zentner was called into action for the first time on 24 minutes to deny Mathias Honsak from a very tight angle. Mainka then fired in a shot from the edge of the box after the resulting corner, but the FSV shot stopper got fingertips to turn the effort over. The 05ers proved the more clinical of the sides, though. Kaishu Sano and Paul Nebel, linked up to find Caci on the right-hand side who fired a low cross into the centre of the box. The visiting side’s first attempt on target ended up leaving Kevin Müller with no chance as Burkardt slid in to meet the ball six yards out and turn home (29’).

Heidenheim found themselves in the lower reaches of the table after some recent poor form and the prospect of another defeat may have been weighing on the home side as they shrunk back into a deep block and allowed FSV to really strut their stuff as the half-time whistle approached. Nebel unleashed a decent effort from a narrow angle seven minutes before the break after some more good work in the build-up from Caci, however Müller was able to parry (38’). A second goal did not come but the expected goals statistic of 0.29-0.99 in the favour of the away side told the story of a first half in which Mainz had simply created the better opportunities even if they trailed 5-2 in terms of shots on target.

Weiper doubles the advantage

FSV emerged for the second period unchanged in terms of personnel but their approach following the restart was very different to that which they displayed at the beginning of the first. They were far more fluid in their play and extended their lead just four minutes into the half. Weiper started off the move, feeding Mwene on the left wing. The Austrian then found Burkardt in the area who, despite needing to stretch for the ball, was very effective in his delivery for strike partner Weiper and he had the simple task of heading home from close range to make it 2-0 (49’). FCH nearly came up with the immediate response when a Honsak volley nearly produced a memorable goal, but Zentner demonstrated an impressive wingspan to tip onto the roof of the net (52’). Mainz remained the more positive side though and Burkardt and Weiper combined once more in the 54th minute to bring about the next attempt but the younger of the two home-grown talents was denied by Müller on this occasion.

Heidenheim refused to give up but their lack of accuracy in the final third meant Mainz ultimately appeared closer to a third goal than they did to reducing the deficit. In the 72nd minute, Caci could have added to the lead but failed to beat Müller after a slick one-two with Weiper. Armindo Sieb came on for Weiper immediately afterwards with Burkardt having already made way for Lee around ten minutes earlier after giving it his all up until that point.

Mainz made themselves more nervous than their opposition did in the end and it was Sano’s rare misplaced pass inside his own penalty area that presented Pieringer with an opportunity. Kohr ensured that Zentner need not be called into action, though (74’). Shortly afterwards, Henriksen made his final round of substitutions, handing January signing Lennard Maloney his debut for the 05ers and at his old stomping ground too. The German-American came on for Amiri, who had picked up a yellow card, while Widmer and Andreas Hanche-Olsen replaced Caci and Kohr (78’). The three new players played their part in seeing out the win, although Mainz did have to survive one final scare when Pieringer found himself in front of the away goal once more, but found Zentner in the way, with the 05ers’ keeper making sure of his eighth clean sheet of the campaign (88’). The full-time whistle sounded soon afterwards and FSV’s fifth away win of the season was confirmed.

Mainz propelled themselves up to sixth in the table and onto 35 points after 22 rounds of fixtures with this latest victory. They return to action this coming Saturday when St. Pauli come to town for this year’s carnival matchday (15:30 CET).