Joe Scally deprived FSV Mainz 05 of their first win of the season in the Bundesliga.
The American saved Borussia Mönchengladbach from 2-2 (1-1) on Friday evening with a goal in the 88th minute, extending Mainz’s negative streak of twelve games without a win across the season. At least the guests were able to leave last place in the table with their first away point. The Gladbachers remained without a win in their fourth home game in a row.
In front of 51,529 spectators in Borussia Park, Florian Neuhaus scored the opening goal for the hosts (22nd minute). Brajan Gruda (24th) and substitute Aymane Barkok (75th) scored for Mainz.
Gladbach dominated with an unchanged starting eleven
After the first win of the season in Bochum (3-1), Gladbach’s head coach Gerardo Seoane had no reason to change his starting lineup. Defender Maximilian Wöber was also able to play again after the ankle injury he suffered last weekend. The guests, on the other hand, had to do without a number of regular players again, and goal scorer Karim Onisiwo (hip flexor injury) also had to miss the game.
Coach Bo Svensson, who played 32 Bundesliga games for Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 2006/07 season, made two changes to the starting eleven after the 3-0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen. Ludovic Ajorque moved into the center of attack, new signing Tom Krauss was supposed to provide stability in the defensive midfield.
The hosts dominated the game from the start. With long ball relays and many attacks from the wings, the compact Mainz five-man chain was repeatedly challenged in defense. Alassane Plea, who scored twice in the win in Bochum, missed the best chance in the 9th minute when he narrowly missed the goal. The strong Franck Honorat prepared the 1-0 lead with a header from Neuhaus with a fine cross.
Mainz hits out of nowhere and draws Joker
The joy of the early lead was already gone two minutes later when Gruda unexpectedly scored 1-1 with a powerful 18-meter shot from a corner. It was the German-Albanian’s first Bundesliga goal and for a long time the only dangerous offensive action by the guests, who were lucky that a shot from close range by Jordan Siebatcheu narrowly missed the Mainz goal.
The guests maintained their compactness in defense and also had further opportunities. The Korean Jae Sung Lee (53′) and Barkok (72′) had the best chances after the break, but were each denied by Borussia’s goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas. Seoane brought in three fresh offensive players in the final phase, but Mainz Joker first hit Barkok with a low shot before Scally scored the late equalizer again from a distance.
