Victory in the first game against Strasbourg

An intense behind closed doors friendly on Saturday morning against RC Strasbourg saw the 05ers come away as 2-1 winners thanks to goals from Armindo Sieb and Daniel Gleiber. Andreas Hanche-Olsen was able to play 45 minutes on his return from a knee injury, while Niklas Tauer, who was on loan at Eintracht Braunschweig last season, was also able to get some minutes in the tank after a long-term injury.

High intensity, few chances

In this first game, both teams played with great intensity, with the 05ers making the better start and creating the first real scoring chance. After playing a lovely one-two with Sota Kawasaki, Arnaud Nordin cut into the box from the right and forced a good save out of keeper Stefan Bajic (5’), who had to parry it out for a corner.

After around 15 minutes the Mainz pressure began to fade and the two teams became locked in a game of attrition, with their similar formations and tactics cancelling each other out. RC Strasbourg were able to fashion two half chances through a long-range effort in the 29th minute from Milos Lukovic and Rayan Messi cutting in from the left hand side in the 37th minute. Other than these chances, the first half ended without much goal-mouth action.

Sieb alert, Gleiber brilliant

Shortly after the break, the French side were hit with two quick goals. The first from Sieb, who shortly before had just missed from a tight angle, as he robbed the ball from keeper Karl-Johan Johnsson after a mistake and calmly finished into an empty net (51’). The 05ers domination soon paid off again, as Kawasaki slotted an other-worldly through ball through to Gleiber who controlled brilliantly and lobbed the goalkeeper emphatically to make it 2-0 in the 59th minute.

The guests began to look stronger towards the end of the match, as Lukovic had two more attempts, this time from closer range. One in the 73rd minute on Daniel Batz’s goal and one in the 76th minute at an open goal which forced a brilliant block from Konstantin Schopp. A reshaped Mainz defence invited more pressure from the guests, as substitute Sekou Mara latched onto a through ball and made it 2-1 (84’). In the final minute of the match, Guemissongui Ouattara had the chance to equalise but was stopped by Batz.

Mainz 05: Rieß (46’ Batz) – Schopp, Hanche-Olsen (46’ Bos), Potulski (70’ Amann) – Widmer, Maloney, Gleiber (75’ Tauer), Nordin – Bobzien, Sieb, Kawasaki

RC Strasbourg: Bajic (46’ Johnsson) – Sobol, Omobamidele (67’ Lung), Ouattara – Nzingoula (67’ Mara), Diop, Oyedele, Messi – Paez, Lukovic, Nanasi

Goals: 1-0 Sieb (51’), 2-0 Gleiber (59’), 2-1 Mara (84’)