4:1 against TSG Hoffenheim: Mainz 05’s comeback continues

Dhe 1. FSV Mainz 05 took another victory in their fight against relegation and continued their furious comeback. The Rheinhessen side deservedly won 4-1 (0-1) at home to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Saturday and showed great passion and comeback qualities. After the visitors’ first goal, Pavel Kaderabek (19th minute), Jonathan Burkardt (47th minute), Philip Mwene (51st minute), Brian Gruda (63rd minute) and Karim Onisivo (88th minute) turned the game around in front of 32 000 spectators.

Mainz won their third win in their last four Bundesliga games and, in 16th place, increased their gap from the direct relegation places to four points. Bochum is only one point away from 15th place and thus remaining in the league. Hoffenheim, on the other hand, failed to qualify for the European Cup after a disappointing performance.

“This is the next final for us,” Mainz coach Bo Henriksen said ahead of Matchday 29 after his side had taken seven points from their previous three games to move back within striking distance of the non-relegation spot. The 05ers also carried their momentum and confidence into the game against Hoffenheim.

Mainz put pressure on Kraichgauer from the start and created several good chances. Leandro Barreiro’s goal was disallowed for offside (1st). Mwene (14th) and Burkardt (14th/16th) then squandered the advantage of the home team’s wild attack.

Not worried about shortages

Poor management of opportunities has paid off. The visitors had the first good chance. After a cross from Andrej Kramaric, Kaderabek headed the score to 0:1. Recently highly praised Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner didn’t look very good when he conceded a goal and went nowhere when he tried to intercept a cross. It was especially bitter for Henriksen’s team: when Hoffenheim were in the lead, FSV played with only ten men because Gruda was being treated.

Mainz was unimpressed by the deficit and remained on the trigger against a passive TSG. The statistics of goals scored during the break spoke clearly: 14:3 in favor of FSV. But what was missing were hits. Either the reliable TSG goalkeeper Oliver Baumann was there, or the balls flew wide of the goal.

After the break, nothing changed in Mainz’s playing lineup. The only difference: the 05ers suddenly turned their dominance into goals. First, Burkardt headed home Anthony Caci’s cross to make it 1-1. Mwene completed a double a short time later and was lucky enough to have his shot saved by Ozan Kabak.

While Hoffenheim, fighting to qualify for the European Cup, remained pale for more than 90 minutes, Gruda finished off a counter-attack to make it 3–1. After this, TSG stepped up their game a bit, but coach Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team didn’t score a single goal. Instead, Mainz even managed to make it 4-1 in the final phase thanks to Onisivo, who came on as a substitute.