d1. FSV Mainz 05 achieved their next victory in the fight against relegation and continued their furious comeback. Rheinhessen won at home on Saturday against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim Deserved 4-1 (0-1) and showed great passion and comeback qualities. After the opening goal for the guests by Pavel Kaderabek (19th minute), Jonathan Burkardt (47th), Phillipp Mwene (51st), Brajan Gruda (63rd) and Karim Onisiwo (88th) turned the game around in front of 32,000 spectators .
The Mainz team achieved its third victory in the last four Bundesliga games and, in 16th place, increased the distance from the direct relegation places to four points. 15th-placed VfL Bochum is just one point away from remaining directly in the league. Hoffenheim However, after a disappointing performance, they suffered a bitter setback in the European Cup qualification race.
“For us it is the next final,” said the Mainz coach Bo Henriksen before matchday 29, after his team had picked up seven points in the previous three games and was therefore once again within striking distance of the non-relegation places. The 05ers also carried their momentum and self-confidence into the game against Hoffenheim.
Mainz put pressure on Kraichgauer from the start and created several good chances. A goal by Leandro Barreiro did not count due to an offside position (1st). Subsequently, Mwene (14th) and Burkardt (14th/16th) lost the initial advantage to the home team, which attacked wildly.
Unfazed by the deficit
The poor exploitation of opportunities took its toll. The guests took advantage of the first good opportunity. After a center Andrei Kramaric Kaderabek scored with a header to make it 0-1. Mainz's recently praised goalkeeper, Robin Zentner, didn't look good when he conceded the goal and went nowhere when he tried to intercept the cross. Especially bitter for Henriksen's team: When Hoffenheim took the lead, FSV only played with ten men because Gruda was being treated.
Mainz were unimpressed by the deficit and held firm against a passive TSG. The scoring statistics spoke clearly at half-time: 14:3 for FSV. But what was missing were the hits. Either the reliable TSG goalkeeper, Oliver Baumann, was there, or the balls flew past the goal.
After the break nothing changed in Mainz's playing strength. The only difference: the 05ers suddenly converted their superiority into goals. First Burkardt headed in a cross from Anthony Caci to make it 1-1. Shortly after, Mwene completed the double and was lucky to have his shot unstoppably deflected away by Ozan Kabak.
While Hoffenheim, fighting for European Cup qualification, remained pale for more than 90 minutes, Gruda completed a counterattack to make it 3-1. Afterwards, TSG became a little more active, but coach Pellegrino Matarazzo's team did not score a goal. Instead, Mainz even managed to make it 4-1 in the finals thanks to substitute Onisiwo.