Match report 13.02.2026 - 22:41 Uhr
Ruthless BVB leave Mainz with no chance
FSV were unable to find a way past a clinical opponent on Friday evening, with the hosts netting all four of their goals from crosses
1. FSV Mainz 05 were left empty-handed after a 3-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund on Friday evening. After just 45 minutes, the ruthlessly efficient hosts had scored three times – all headers from crosses – and effectively wrapped up the win. After the break, any hopes of a comeback against a composed and defensively solid BVB side failed to materialise. An own goal from Dominik Kohr then made it 4-0 to the hosts late on. After three straight wins, FSV fell to their second Bundesliga defeat of 2026.
No changes to the starting XI
Head coach Urs Fischer named the same starting line-up that had beaten FC Augsburg 2-0 at home the previous week. Maxim Leitsch was named on the bench in place of the ill Lennard Maloney.
Dortmund in clear control by half-time
“The self-belief has returned because of the results. Something grows in your mind when you trust yourself instead of hesitating,” Fischer had said beforehand about the development within his side in recent weeks. That renewed confidence was visible inside the opening minute when Phillip Tietz flicked the ball on with his heel to Jae-sung Lee inside the box. The South Korean, who had signed a contract extension with FSV just yesterday, shot straight at Gregor Kobel from a central position.
The opening stages were evenly matched, but after 10 minutes Dortmund’s individual quality made the difference. Serhou Guirassy rose superbly to meet a free-kick delivery from the right by Julian Ryerson. Dominik Kohr failed to mark the striker close enough, and FSV goalkeeper Daniel Batz had no chance against the well-placed header.
Dortmund doubled their lead after a quarter of an hour. The Mainz defence lost sight of Maximilian Baier at the far post, and once again Ryerson delivered with precision. Batz got a hand to Baier’s close-range header, but the ball still crept in from a tight angle. Conceding twice inside 15 minutes left FSV with a mountain to climb, particularly against a side that had conceded just 20 goals all season and lost only once.
Mainz briefly regrouped after the double blow and quickly had a chance to respond. Kaishu Sano released Silas down the left after a neat move, but the winter signing shot early and narrowly wide of the right-hand post (21’).
The next setback followed soon after. Stefan Bell was forced off injured following a challenge with Felix Nmecha, with Kacper Potulski coming on in his place (26’). The first half-hour could hardly have gone worse for the visitors, who were unable to unsettle a clinical and composed Dortmund side.
Any hope of pulling one back before the interval was quickly dashed when captain Silvan Widmer’s effort was ruled out for offside after a through ball from Lee (38’). Mainz had no answer to Ryerson’s deliveries in the first half. From a corner, again whipped dangerously into the six-yard box by the Dane, Batz was blocked, allowing Guirassy to head home from close range for his second of the night and Dortmund’s third, sealing a commanding half-time lead (42’).
No fightback after the break
Mainz began the second half with an effort from distance that posed no problems for Kobel (50’). Dortmund then went close through Nmecha, but Batz reacted sharply to get down quickly (52’). The Mainz goalkeeper also had to be alert to deny Baier and Julian Brandt (55’, 58’). The opening spell after the restart gave little indication that Dortmund’s lead would come under threat – Niko Kovac’s side were far too dominant and composed. Fischer introduced fresh legs for the final half hour with a triple change, bringing on Paul Nebel, Sheraldo Becker and Phillipp Mwene for Silas, Lee and Widmer.
Dortmund never let up for a second though, and Mainz were unable to find a way back into the contest. The visitors were also far too harmless going forward. For the final 20 minutes, Nelson Weiper replaced Tietz. Soon after coming on, the academy product flicked the ball on to strike partner Becker, whose effort was kept out by Kobel’s outstretched foot (76’). Once again, Mainz then failed to deal with a corner from the outstanding Ryerson. After Kohr’s glancing header, the ball ended up in the Mainz net to make it 4-0 (84’). Weiper had a chance to pull one back late on (88’), but it remained a deserved – and bitter – defeat on Friday.
FSV will be back in action next Friday, 20th February (20:30 CET), as they host Hamburger SV at the MEWA ARENA in the opening game of Matchday 23.
