The motivational art of the cheerful coach Bo Henriksen was not enough for the second win of his term at FSV Mainz 05. The penultimate team had to be content with a 1-1 (1-0) draw in the Bundesliga game against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday. The hope of pushing 1. FC Köln out of the relegation zone in the relegation battle had to at least be postponed.
In front of 33,305 spectators in the sold-out arena, Jonathan Burkardt (12th minute) put the hosts in the lead. Nathan Ngoumou scored the equalizer (55th). With the draw, Gladbach have now gone nine away games without a win.
Before kick-off, the 49-year-old Dane Henriksen had asked his team to give 100 percent and play with dynamism and power, but at least to relieve them verbally of a burden: “If we are relegated, then that is my responsibility .” The players internalized their coach’s words, fought, struggled and put the guests under constant pressure from the first minute.
The early opening goal by 23-year-old center forward Burkardt, who shot the ball with force into the left corner from the edge of the penalty area, gave additional impetus and tailwind. It was only thanks to Borussia goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas that the Gladbachers didn’t have to go into the dressing room like would-be losers in the first half.
Gladbach was initially out of ideas and helpless
In the 24th minute, Nicolas parried a low shot from close range by the unmarked Silvan Widmer. Seconds later, a cross from Mainz newcomer Nadiem Amiri reacted brilliantly again: his teammate Manu Koné headed the ball towards his own goal and Nicolas directed it over the crossbar.
A week earlier, Gladbach had defeated VfL Bochum 5-2. In the first half against Mainz they played completely without ideas and helplessness, without any offensive urge and without dangerous counterattacks. And they were lucky again when Leandro Barreiro (42nd +2) headed just wide of the opponent’s goal.
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Borussia coach Gerardo Seoane may have criticized the slack performance in the dressing room, which had an effect. Suddenly the Gladbachers took more initiative – with success. After Barreiro lost the ball in midfield, Florian Neuhaus crossed into the penalty area, where Ngoumou headed the equalizer from six meters.
The goal was like a wake-up call for Gladbach, who then had two great chances to finally turn the game around. But Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner thwarted another goal within two minutes (63rd/64th): first Neuhaus failed with a shot and then Koné failed with a header past the 05 goalkeeper. He was responsible for the defeat (1:2) with a mistake in the last game at Bayer Leverkusen.
