Conference League
Thanks to a joker and a last-minute goal: Mainz climbs up
Updated November 6, 2025 – 8:50 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Mainz had big plans before the game, but Florence took the lead early on. With the restart, the Bundesliga team turned things up a notch.
1. FSV Mainz 05 secured their next victory in the Conference League. Bo Henriksen’s team fought a late 2-1 (0-1) against AC Florence and climbed to third place in the table.
Substitute Benedict Hollerbach brought Mainz back into the game with the equalizer (68th minute). Jae-Sung Lee scored a goal in stoppage time for FSV’s much-celebrated victory. Simon Sohm had previously given the guests from Italy the lead in the 16th minute after a catastrophic bad pass from Danny da Costa.
Both Mainz and Florence, who had previously won two games in the Conference League, fluctuated between extremes before the game. Things are anything but good for both teams in the domestic leagues. The 05ers are second to last in the Bundesliga. The team from Florence, which had to do without German professional Robin Gosens in Mainz due to a torn muscle fiber, is actually at the bottom of the domestic Serie A. The club parted ways with coach Stefano Pioli on Tuesday, and instead interim coach Daniele Galloppa was on the sidelines against Mainz.
They left no doubt before and during the game that the Mainz fans are behind their team despite the poor results in the Bundesliga. With a big choreo in the stands and the slogan “Forza FSV,” the supporters tried to give the players another boost.
The FSV also got into the game well. Attacker Nelson Weiper, who was one of four new players in the starting line-up compared to the 1-1 draw against Werder Bremen, had the first chance. However, his misplaced header from close range did not cause any problems for Florence keeper Tommaso Martinelli (10th).
The fact that the Rheinhessen did not convert their superiority into a lead in the early stages quickly took revenge. After da Costa’s mistake in the FSV’s build-up game, Roberto Piccoli fed Sohm, who took the lead.