Werkself claim hard-fought 2-1 win at home to Mainz

For the visit of Mainz, Xabi Alonso made three changes to the team that started in the 2-1 win at 1. FC Heidenheim: Josip Stanisic, Piero Hincapie and Patrik Schick were replaced by Jonas Hofmann, Edmond Tapsoba and Odilon Kossounou. The latter was making his first start for Bayer 04 in this calendar year following victory in the Africa Cup of Nations with hosts Ivory Coast. It was an eventful start to the game as Granit Xhaka put the Werkself in front in only the fourth minute with his first competitive goal for the Black-and-Reds. However, Mainz levelled the score just four minutes later through Dominik Kohr.

fast pace continues

After that frantic start, both teams continued to attack. Nadiem Amiri, who joined the Rhineland-Palatinate club from Leverkusen at the end of January, had a go from long range, while Xhaka also had a long-distance effort for the hosts. Both were saved. It was end-to-end stuff in a fast-paced contest. Towards the end of the first half, Hofmann intercepted a Mainz back-pass but the number 7 was unable to beat Robin Zentner in the FSV goal. Alejandro Grimaldo had the next chance to make it 2-1 with a free kick in the 43rd minute. It got more heated in stoppage time when Jeremie Frimpong was played in by Florian Wirtz and was felled by a slight but decisive contact as he ran through, but instead of awarding a free kick, referee Timo Gerach booked Frimpong and also coach Alonso for dissent. With that the teams went into the dressing rooms.

It remained fiery after the restart. In Jonathan Tah and Mainz duo Kohr and Zentner, no fewer than three players were booked inside eight minutes. Mainz had the first chances of the second period through Amiri and Jae-sung Lee. Alonso brought on Schick for Hofmann to freshen up the attack.

Andrich restores lead

With little over an hour gone, the Werkself stepped things up. Amine Adli had a good opportunity with a header from Grimaldo's corner, shortly before Wirtz had an attempt from 16 metres. Then in the 68th minute, Robert Andrich tried his luck from distance and surprisingly got himself on the scoresheet, as Zentner allowed the ball to slip through his gloves. Mainz showed a reaction to that as the intensity remained high, but it got too high when substitute Jessic Ngankman caught Xhaka on the foot in midfield. Referee Gerach initially produced a yellow card, but following a video review he changed his decision and sent the Mainz forward off in the 80th minute. The game became disjointed after that with no more notable incidents, and so it finished 2-1.

up next: away derby

The next game for Bayer 04 is the derby away to 1. FC Köln on Sunday 3 March. Kick-off at the RheinEnergieSTADION is at 15:30 CET.

Match stats:

Bayer 04: Hradecky – Kossounou, Tah, Tapsoba – Frimpong (Tella 83'), Xhaka, Andrich, Grimaldo – Hofmann (Schick 56'), Wirtz (Hlozek 90') – Adli (Hincapie 83')

Mainz 05: Zentner - Kohr, van den Berg, Caci - Widmer (Guilavogui 59'), Barreiro, Amiri, Mwene - Gruda (Ngankam 65'), Onisiwo (Krauß 83'), Lee

Goals: 1-0 Xhaka (4'), 1-1 Kohr (8'), 2-1 Andrich (68')

Yellow cards: Frimpong, Alonso (head coach), Tah, Wirtz / Onisiwo, Kohr, Zentner, Caci, Mwene

Red cards: Ngankam

Referee: Timo Gerach (Landau in der Pfalz)

Attendance: 30,210 (sellout) at the BayArena