“Momentum and confidence”

MAINZ 05 2-1 HEIDENHEIM

Niko Bungert: “It was almost to be expected, given the circumstances, that this would be a nerve-racking game today. It could have been easier for us, had we scored a third goal. But we have the three points. Right now, I honestly don’t care how the win came about. We’re just happy. We’ve had so many crazy games and sometimes didn’t get what we felt we deserved. Now, after an eventful 90 minutes, we have three points in an incredibly important game. We’ve taken another step forward, which will help us mentally. In our fourth Bundesliga match under Urs Fischer, we’ve taken the lead for the third time – each time against difficult opponents. Now we’ve managed to see it through, even if it took a real fight. That gives us momentum and confidence. We’re enjoying it and will go to bed tonight with a good feeling.”

Silvan Widmer: “It feels very good. It was a lot of hard work. We made it a bit difficult for ourselves again, but in the end the three points are ours. We’ll gladly take them, and they’ll give us momentum for the next games. We played the counterattacks and our spells of possession too poorly towards the end. We need to be more ruthless there and make the opponent work. We didn’t manage that in the end, which is why it turned into a nervous finish. The Union game also crossed my mind, so it was all the more important that we saw this one through today.”

Phillip Tietz: “I’ve only been here for two games so far, but of course I noticed how long the fans had been waiting for a home win and how much the team wanted it. The coaches and players worked very meticulously and fine-tuned things to get those three points. I’m absolutely delighted that we managed it again after eleven months. It’s a huge weight off our shoulders. This win is mainly for the fans, who waited so long and support us day in, day out. That’s not something you can take for granted. My connection with my teammates is already working – more so in the second half than the first. The guys looked for me more and I was able to hold up the ball better. I’m gradually settling in. I haven’t scored yet, but I did get an assist today. Hopefully I can reward myself with a goal against Köln. I’m feeling optimistic.”