1. FSV Mainz 05 lost the Bundesliga game against 1. FC Heidenheim and remains stuck deep in the bottom of the table. The guests, on the other hand, gain some breathing room with their first away win.
Thanks to an early goal from Marvin Pieringer (12th minute), 1. FC Heidenheim won the match at Mainz 05 1-0 (0-0). While Mainz are in 17th place in the table with nine points, FCH (17 points) has succeeded in catching up with the midfield.
“Heidenheim has two shots on goal and a standard that leads to the goal. That’s enough to defeat us,” said Mainz sports director Martin Schmidt in an ARD interview. Nevertheless, the performance is encouraging. “We put a lot of effort into it and showed a lot of commitment. In the second half we felt like we were only in the opponent’s half.” After the final whistle, Frank Schmidt was delighted with the first away win. “The points were immensely important against a team that is around us in the table. A difficult game, a hard-working victory, defended passionately until the end. The coach, who used to be a defender himself, likes that,” said the Heidenheim coach.
The duel between the weakest home team and the weakest away team began, as in almost all stadiums this weekend, with twelve minutes of silence. A reaction from the active fan scenes to the decision of the Bundesliga and 2nd Bundesliga clubs to allow an investor.
Pieringer scores, Müller saves
In the middle of the last minute of the boycott, Heidenheim lost the lead. After a free kick from the half field by Jan-Niklas Beste, the ball landed indirectly at Pieringer, who beat Mainz keeper Daniel Batz from close range (12th minute). The Mainz team had to shake themselves up briefly, but then took control of the game and had their first chances. But a header from Jonathan Burkardt went wide of the goal (23′), Danny da Costa’s finish didn’t pose any problems for FCH keeper Kevin Mülller (25′). The pressure from Mainz continued to increase.
Brajan Gruda shook off his opponent and shot quickly, but Müller saved with a reflex (27′). Six minutes later, Marco Richter found his master in Müller, who directed the offensive man’s powerful 18-meter shot over the crossbar. In the final phase of the first half, both teams neutralized each other, so that Heidenheim went into the break with a narrow lead.
Ajorque hits the post
The second half began with a power play from the hosts. Four minutes after the substitution, the Mainz fans were screaming for goal, but Ludovic Ajorque was denied by the right post after an assist from Gruda. The 05ers remained in control: Ajorque’s header went past the goal, shortly afterwards Burkardt failed at the side netting (50th/51st). The Heidenheimers initially had problems breaking free from the grip.
After around an hour, FCH got back into the game better and was on the offensive again. Beste took a corner straight at the goal, but goalkeeper Batz was there (59′). On the other side, Richter’s free kick from the half field sailed past the far corner (64′).
Mainz 05 ran in vain
Five minutes later, Richter appeared free in front of Müller, but his lob from a tight angle failed. Mainz stayed on the trigger and Heidenheim continued to defend passionately. After a Mainz corner, several FCH players threw themselves at the ball, which ultimately landed at Müller (75′).
Mainz ran after the narrow deficit until the final whistle, Heidenheim increasingly counterattacked – ultimately without success on both sides. The last big chance presented itself to Heidenheim. Substitute Florian Pick hit the post, from where the ball bounced to Batz’s back. Eren Dinkci pushed the rebound over the line, but had previously been offside (90.+1). This left the guests with a 1-0 win.
Mainz travels to Dortmund – Heidenheim against Freiburg
Neither team has much time to regenerate. Mainz 05 will face Borussia Dortmund at the end of the year next Tuesday (December 19, 2023, 8:30 p.m.). Heidenheim will face SC Freiburg on Wednesday (December 20, 2023, 8:30 p.m.).
Broadcast on Saturday, December 16th, 2023, 2:00 p.m., stadium, SWR1 Baden-Württemberg
