FSV fall to defeat against Heidenheim

The 05ers suffered a frustrating defeat in their last home game of the year as they lost 1-0 against 1. FC Heidenheim on Saturday afternoon. One clear cut chance was enough for the newly promoted side to take home all three points, whilst Mainz dominated as they have done in the past few games and created numerous chances, but they weren’t able to convert any of these. On some occasions FSV lacked accuracy, on others the woodwork denied them, whilst a defender’s leg or Heidenheim’s goalkeeper Kevin Müller also got in the way numerous times. The ball simply didn’t want to go into the back of FCH’s net. The 05ers remain 17th in the table with nine points following their second consecutive defeat at home.

Jan Siewert was forced into three changes for this afternoon’s game. Leandro Barreiro, who suffered a muscle strain in his right thigh in training, Anthony Caci, who still had an abdominal muscle injury from the game in Cologne, and Silvan Widmer, who has been struggling with flu, were unable to play. Danny da Costa, Marco Richter and Merveille Papela, who was making his first start in the Bundesliga, came into the starting eleven in place of the trio.

05ers make the running, Heidenheim take the lead

The injury-stricken Mainz, who once again lined-up with a back four, took the initiative from the outset, both in and out of possession. Initially, FSV worked hard to gain control of the ball against a Heidenheim side who mainly sat deep. However, neither side looked seriously threatening in front of goal in the opening stages – that was until the 12th minute when the visitors demonstrated their quality from set-piece situations for the first time. Patrick Mainka flicked on a Jan-Niklas Beste free-kick from the left-hand side and the ball landed at Marvin Pieringer’s feet, and he slotted the ball home from the left-hand side of the penalty area. Daniel Batz was left with no chance from close range as the visitors struck first. Heidenheim had now found their way into the game, whilst the 05ers continued to try to assert themselves.

First, Brajan Gruda tried his luck from a promising position on the left-hand side of the penalty area, whilst Sepp van den Berg’s follow-up effort was deflected behind for a corner. FSV continued to apply more and more pressure to Heidenheim’s goal after conceding and at least got into the final third on numerous occasions. However, the final action was lacking in this phase of the game as has been the case in the last few weeks. Ludovic Ajorque was inches away from getting on the end of a cross from Richter, whilst Müller was able to easily deal with efforts from Papela and Gruda (26’). The equaliser would have been well deserved in this phase of the game. However, the visitors, who barely offered anything in attack aside from their goal, defended in disciplined fashion and dealt with everything that came their way. If the 05ers got a chance to shoot, either Müller was able to deny them, as was the case with Richter’s shot from distance in the 32nd minute, or Jan Siewert’s side’s shooting was too inaccurate. A Richter free-kick from the left edge of the box went well over the bar as Heidenheim maintained their narrow lead until the break. FSV set the tone in the first 45 minutes and had the game under control for the most part. Nevertheless, the hosts were still missing a spark in the final third, and when they did manage to break through, the impressive Müller was on hand to deny them. Meanwhile, the visitors rarely managed to relieve pressure with attacks of their own.

Pictures from the game

The 05ers began the second half with even more attacking ambition as Jae-sung Lee came on in place on Krauß. They were almost rewarded for their renewed high intensity shortly after the break as the post came to Müller’s rescue. Heidenheim’s goalkeeper was beaten by Ajorque’s shot after he had been played in perfectly by Gruda, but the ball came back off the post (48’). Immediately afterwards, Jonathan Burkardt was left unmarked following a corner, but he was only able to find the side netting with his shot when left with just Müller to beat. There was also the same outcome soon afterwards when Richter charged down Lennard Maloney’s attempted clearance. The hosts camped in Heidenheim’s half in this phase of the game, but the ball simply didn’t want to go in. 

The fit again Karim Onisiwo replaced Burkardt for the last half hour of the game, during which Richter had another good opportunity to find a leveller. However, Mainka was crucially able to deflect the ball behind for a corner with his block. The 05ers once again didn’t have luck on their side in front of goal this afternoon, as was demonstrated when Richter found himself one-on-one with Müller. Unfortunately, the summer signing’s delicate lob from the left-hand side of the penalty area went narrowly wide.

The ball doesn’t want to go in

The 05ers were now willing to risk everything in the closing stages of the game. U23s striker came on to make his Bundesliga debut as he replaced Papela. A goal would have been deserved given Mainz’s long-term superiority. Kohr sent the ball into the six-yard area following a corner, but Heidenheim somehow managed to keep the ball from going over the line until Müller got his hands on it. The second half remained one-way traffic, but FSV were still lacking reward for their efforts as they now threw everything at Heidenheim. David Mamutovic, Mainz’s third Bundesliga debutant of the day, and Aymen Barkok came on in the last few minutes to offer FSV further attacking impetus. Despite that, it was the harmless visitors who almost grabbed a second goal. First, Tim Kleindienst was standing in an offside position when he tapped in following Pick’s effort at goal, before Batz got down well to deny Kleindienst shortly afterwards. The 05ers failed to find a decisive opening in front of goal during the four minutes of additional time as their final home game in 2023 ended 1-0 to the visitors.

FSV are in action away at Borussia Dortmund (20:30 CET) on Tuesday in their final game of the calendar year.

1. FSV MAINZ 05 0-1 1. FC HEIDENHEIM

Mainz 05: Batz - da Costa (86’ Mamutovic), van den Berg, Kohr, Mwene - Krauß (46’ Lee), Papela (73’ M. Müller) - Gruda, Burkardt (62’ Onisiwo), Richter (86’ Barkok) - Ajorque

Heidenheim: Müller - Busch, Mainka, Gimber, Föhrenbach - Maloney (90’ Siersleben) - Beste (75’ Pick, Schöppner, Pieringer (69’ Theuerkauf), Dinkci (75’ Sessa)- Kleindienst

Goals: 0-1 Pieringer (12’)

Referee: Bastian Dankert

Attendance: 27,200