Away series broken – FCA makes a mistake at the second-to-last in the table in Mainz
Instead of the hoped-for first game of the season with a clean slate, the penultimate FSV Mainz 05 suffered a disastrous 0-1 defeat on matchday 22.
By Peter Bommas
Coach Jess Thorup only changed the starting eleven in one position for the game in Mainz compared to the home game against Leipzig, with Arne Engels playing for Jensen from the start. It takes a while for both teams to get into the game, Augsburg is present at first, Demirovic misses the first chance to score, but Mainz has a slight advantage in the chances they create and demands a penalty after a shot on the shoulder of Gouweleeuw. Referee Tobias Reichel waves it off and then Rexhbecaj gets a shot after an Augsburg counterattack in the 17th minute, but it just misses the goal to the right. Then the game petered out again until Mainz’s Lee Jae-song hit the crossbar from close range in the 37th minute. Almost in return, the great chance comes from a cross from Arne Engels, Vargas heads with his back to the goal, but Zentner makes a strong save. In a good mood and optimally adjusted by new coach Bo Hernriksen, Mainz continued to press and Dahmen wobbled on a free kick, an uncertainty that Mainz’s Van den Berg took advantage of to make it 1-0. And immediately afterwards Dahmen took center stage again, he caused a penalty – similar to against Leipzig – but Amiri missed it. Then it’s half time.
Immediately after the start of the second half, Mainz was awarded a free kick, Amiri took it, Mbabu misjudged it and Hanche-Olsen put the header just wide of the goal. Then in the 50th minute the fan protest, interruption for a good 10 minutes, tennis balls fly onto the court. The FCA has changed, Pep Biel comes in for the harmless Tietz. In the 59th minute the game continues and Augsburg is now in control, Biel brings the ball into the center, Mbabu crosses and the ball goes clearly to the hand of Mainz’s Mwene, but the penalty whistle for FCA does not come.
Now it goes back and forth, corner follows corner, but the FCA defense is standing and Dahmen is at his post. Augsburg now has almost 70% possession of the ball, but Mainz are more imaginative and lively going forward, Augsburg is coming under a lot of pressure. Caci directly accepts a cross from Mwene and shoots from 10m, Dahmen parries for a corner. Despite all their efforts, the FCA simply can’t get into the game properly; the build-up to the game too often ends in touch. Then in the 74th minute finally a reaction from Thorup, substitutions at FCA – Gumny comes on for the hapless Mbabu, Pedersen comes on for the once again overrated Rexhbecay. And four minutes later Mainz comes on for the injured Hanche-Olsen Guilavogui, who joins the three-man chain. And in the 83rd minute Ngankam came on for Gruda in the offensive at Mainz. The game picks up speed again. Mainz is pushing, the FCA is resisting. In the 83rd minute, Amiri simply took a shot from 25m, but this time Dahmen got down in time and parried. Then the next change at FCA, Arne Maier comes in for Engels, who was able to provide little impetus. Both teams are now exchanging blows, possession of the ball is evenly distributed. Thorup substitutes Sven Michel for Iago in the fifth minute of injury time and wants to push the attack again for the final spurt. Fight and cramp In the midfield, Gouweleeuw and Kohr get caught up, Tobias Stieler shows both of them the yellow card – for the FCA captain that means a suspension against Freiburg next Sunday. We’re now at 90 +12, Mainz substitution for Popela for Lee, a duel in Augsburg’s half, Pedersen sees red after a hard tackle from behind, pack formation and discussions with the referee. After that it’s over.
FCA loses an important “6-point game” against a possibly underestimated, newly motivated opponent – never achieved the same level of play as against Leipzig, but still has to take a point in Mainz. The decisive factor was Finn Dahmen’s goalkeeper error when running out before the 1-0 lead and the low effectiveness in front of the opponent’s penalty area. Yess Thorup has to come up with something against Freiburg – without Pedersen and Gouweleeuw.
Article from February 18, 2024 | Author: Volker Bogatzki
Category: FCA, Bundesliga, Sport
2024-02-18 18:53:32
#series #broken #FCA #mistake #secondtolast #table #Mainz #Augsburger #Zeitung
