Mainz misses out on its first win of the season and remains in a direct relegation spot. Gladbach’s Scally saves the home side a late point.
Joe Scally deprived 1. FSV Mainz 05 of its first win of the season in the Bundesliga. The US American saved Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday night with the goal in the 88th minute the 2:2 (1:1) and thus extended the Mainz negative series of season-long twelve games without a win.
At least the visitors were able to leave the bottom of the table for the time being with their first away point. Gladbach thus remained without a win in their fourth home game in a row. Florian Neuhaus scored the opening goal for the hosts in front of 51,529 spectators at Borussia-Park (22nd minute). Brajan Gruda (24th) and substitute Aymane Barkok (75th) scored for Mainz.
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 return to action after suffering an ankle injury last weekend. The visitors, on the other hand, again had to do without a number of regular players, and goal scorer Karim Onisiwo (hip flexor injury) also had to miss out.
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 to the attacking center, while newcomer Tom Krauß was expected to provide stability in defensive midfield.
The hosts dominated the game from the start. With long ball sequences and many attacks from the wings, Mainz’s compact five-man defensive chain was challenged time and again. Alassane Plea, who scored twice in the win in Bochum, missed the best chance in the 9th minute when he just missed the goal. The 1-0 lead from Neuhaus’ header was set up by the strong Franck Honorat with a fine cross.
The joy of the early lead was gone just two minutes later when Gruda scored with a thumping 18-yard shot off a corner kick to make it 1-1 in a complete surprise. It was the first Bundesliga goal of the German-Albanian and for a long time the only dangerous offensive action of the guests, who were lucky that a shot from close range by Jordan Siebatcheu just missed the Mainz goal.
The guests kept their compactness in defense and also came up with more opportunities. Korean Jae Sung Lee (53rd) and Barkok (72nd) had the best chances after the break, but each failed to score against Borussia goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas. Seoane brought on three fresh attacking players in the closing stages, but first Mainz wild card Barkok scored with a low shot before Scally scored a late equalizer.