Mainz secure fifth home win in succession thanks to Weiper & Caci

After two consecutive away defeats, 1. FSV Mainz 05 gave the perfect response on their return home as they delivered an outstanding display against VfB Stuttgart to get back to winning ways with a fully deserved 2-0 victory. Nelson Weiper netted the opener for Mainz before the break with Anthony Caci adding the finishing touch with a goal shortly before full-time. The visiting side were unable to create much of note when faced with a high-intensity Mainz outfit and only had their best chance in stoppage time at the end of proceedings.

05ers head coach Bo Henriksen made a solitary change from the line-up that began the defeat in Berlin, bringing in Nelson Weiper for his first start of the season. Jonny Burkardt remained absent due to injury and while his usual replacement over the course of the current campaign had been Armindo Sieb, he took up a place on the bench. Mainz’s only signing of the January transfer window to date, Lennard Maloney, was also named as a substitute.

Second time lucky for Weiper

Mainz began the game with a very different approach to that with which they started the contest in the capital just six days before. Only three minutes had passed before captain Nadiem Amiri broke with energy through the middle of the pitch. He then played a perfect ball into the path of Weiper and in behind the VfB defence; however, with just the opposing keeper to beat, the home-grown striker fired straight at Alexander Nübel (4’). Both sides were able to muster a fair deal of offensive pressure during the opening stages as the Champions-League side also came out of the blocks quickly. Robin Zentner was also called into action early on when he was required to deny a volley from Stuttgart’s winter acquisition from Hoffenheim, Jacon Bruun Larsen. The Mainz stopper sprung to his right to parry the effort from 22 yards. The visitors looked more and more dangerous as the match went on and boasted 70% possession with 15 minutes gone. Deniz Undav found himself free in the hosts’ box after linking-up with Nick Woltemade but sent his shot wide inches wide of the left-hand upright (14’). Goalmouth action somewhat dried up after the eventful beginning to proceedings, although the tempo remained high. The atmosphere inside the stadium was electric as after half an hour Mainz received their second opportunity and this time it was to be taken. Following a turnover, Amiri played in Paul Nebel brilliantly, who then slotted a pass through to Weiper and he had the composure to ensure this chance did not get away from him, coolly finding the gap at the near post to make it 1-0 (29’). FSV had fought hard to get in front and managed to see the lead through to the break, despite the fact that the remaining third of the opening period continued to be played at full throttle. The only downers on a positive first half were the three yellow yards awarded to the goalscorer, Jae-sung Lee and Zentner.

Home-grown talents continue to threaten while Stuttgart fail to create

Both teams emerged unchanged for the restart with not much action seen immediately following the break. While VfB struggled to get in behind a well-organised 05ers’ defence, Nebel and Weiper remained the most positive going forward for the hosts, although did not threaten quite as much as they did before half-time. The two home-grown talents were nevertheless the players to register the hosts first efforts of note around the hour mark. Nebel tried his luck from around 22 yards but sent the ball well wide (59’). Fewer than 60 seconds later, Weiper fought hard to win the ball back out wide before striking from the angle; however, he saw his attempt blocked (60’). Andreas Hanche-Olsen replaced Danny da Costa, who had given it everything during the 64 minutes he was on the pitch for. Stuttgart failed to create much in the way of opportunities from their own possession but nearly profited from an FSV lapse on 67 minutes. The away team had the chance to counter when Amiri lost out in a duel on the edge of the visitors’ box. Substitute Leweling drove at pace through the midfield before laying off for Undav who saw Zentner equal to his shot from 16 yards out the right-hand side of the penalty area.

Goalscorer Weiper departed after 73 minutes, replaced by Sieb, as Maxim Leitsch also came on for Kohr. Mainz showed their competitive edge once again in this match, going toe-to-toe with one of the league’s best teams and making for an intense, hard-fought contest. The majority of the 33,000 in attendance at the MEWA ARENA would have been hoping for a second goal to kill off the game and may have been expecting to be able to celebrate when they saw Amiri line up a shot from eight yards out following Sieb’s low cross. However, Nübel was on hand to pull off an incredible save and keep his side in with a chance. Stefan Bell was the next to direct the ball towards the net as he latched onto a corner kick from the home side’s creator in chief Amiri but saw his header sailed harmlessly over (80’). Despite the efforts of VfB, they could not muster up any real threat on the Mainz goal, with Fabian Rieder the next to miss the target in the 84th minute after being set up by Undav. The more efficient and ultimately better of the two sides ended up taking home the points on the day, as FSV sealed the deal with five minutes to go. Sieb used pure determination to get the ball to Caci in the centre of the goal and the wing-back embraced the style of a natural-born goalscorer in volleying the ball into the back of the net for 2-0! VfB had two further chances in stoppage time, but Kaishu Sano cleared Demirovic’s attempt off the line before Zentner was there again to prevent Leweling from scoring. An annoyance for Mainz will be the yellow card picked up by Bo Henriksen which means he will be suspended for the second away game in succession. Nevertheless, that did nothing to hamper Mainz’s course to victory as they claimed all three points.

A club record fifth home win in a row moves FSV onto 31 points with 19 games played. They are in action again on Friday, as they travel to Bremen to face SV Werder before the next home game lies eight days after that when FC Augsburg come to town.