Bundesliga

2025-11-07T04:30:00Z

Mainz stun Fiorentina

Substitute Jae-Sung Lee scored one and made another in Mainz's win over Fiorentina.
Substitute Jae-Sung Lee scored one and made another in Mainz's win over Fiorentina.

Substitute Jae-Sung Lee scored deep into added time as Mainz came from a goal down to beat Fiorentina and extend their winning start in this season's UEFA Conference League to three matches.

Mainz 2-1 Fiorentina
Goals: 0-1 Sohm (assist: Piccoli) 16', 1-1 Hollerbach 68' (assist: Lee), 2-1 Lee 90'+5 (assist: Sano)

Buoyed by 1-0 wins over Omonia Nicosia and Zrinjski Mostar, Mainz started brightly only to fall behind against the run of play. Danny Costa's errant pass was picked off and after the ball was worked to the edge of the box, Simon Sohm made no mistake with his finish.

Robin Zentner prevented Roberto Piccoli from adding a second soon after, while Kacper Potulski put in a potentially goal-saving challenge to thwart the Italian on the stroke of half-time.

Piccoli miscued a presentable opening early in the second half, before Mainz hit back through Benedikt Hollerbach, who started and finished a fine team goal less than three minutes after entering the fray as a substitute.

Mainz got away with one as Fiorentina sub Moise Kean headed over with the goal at his mercy. Lady Luck was clearly shining on the home side, who snatched all three points when Lee headed in fellow sub Kaishu Sano's cross in the fifth minute of added time.

The Mainz fans celebrated a European night to remember at the Mewa Arena.

Mainz travel to Romania's Universitatea Craiova in their next European fixture on 27 November.

>>> See Mainz's Conference League fixtures here

Recap the action against Fiorentina below...

New posts available
2 - 1(0 - 1)
Mainz
FINAL
Fiorentina
%% NOT TRANSLATED: LIVE_COMPETITION_NAME_CONFERENCE-LEAGUE %% League phase, Matchday 3 Mewa Arena
90' +6
vs
Marin Pongračić
90' +5
vs

Scenes!

They've only gone and done it! Two of the subs combine as Lee heads in from Sano to put Mainz ahead for the first time!

90' +5
vs
Jae-sung Lee

GOAL!

2:1
89'
vs

Time added on

Five minutes to find a winner...

86'
vs

Final throw

That's now all five allotted subs used up by both head coaches...

85'
vs
Nicolo Fagioli
Simon Sohm
82'
vs

Will-i-am

Danish forward William Bøving is on for his fifth Mainz appearance since joining the club from Sturm Graz on 1 September. Midfield talisman Amiri, who was on a booking, makes way.

84'
vs

Very open

Now Mainz attack with Sano, who gets round Caviglia, but can't beat Pongračić. Will there be a late winner?

81'
vs
William Bøving
Nadiem Amiri
78'
vs

Gilt-edged opportunity!

Somehow Mainz are still level as the unmarked Kean heads over from close range with only Zentner to beat. The relief among the home fans is palpable!

76'
vs

Momentum

Mainz are having a really good go at this as Sano tries to find Hollerbach with a cross, but Martinelli gets there first.

69'
vs
Pietro Comuzzo
Pablo Mari
68'
vs

Instant impact!

Hollerbach opens his Mainz account after starting a lovely move that went through Lee and Weiper, before finishing with aplomb from inside the area. The Mewa Arena is bouncing!

68'
vs
Benedict Hollerbach

GOAL!

1:1
67'
vs
Nadiem Amiri
64'
vs

Half chance

Amiri dinks a clever ball into the penalty area for Widmer, but he doesn't make the desired connection and the chance is gone.

65'
vs

Positive

A striker in place of an attacking midfielder. It would certainly be a great time for Hollerbach to score his first goal for the club...

65'
vs
Benedict Hollerbach
Paul Nebel
63'
vs

Niggling fouls

A couple more yellow cards - another sign the game is becoming a little stretched.

63'
vs
Pablo Mari
62'
vs
Paul Nebel
60'
vs

Two changes apiece

Like-for-like on both sides. No surprises to see Maloney and Ndour hooked after those bookings so soon after the restart.

60'
vs
Jae-sung Lee
Armindo Sieb
60'
vs
Moise Kean
Roberto Piccoli
59'
vs
Rolando Mandragora
Cher Ndour
59'
vs
Kaishu Sano
Lennard Maloney
55'
vs

Chance!

Goalscorer Sohm finds Piccoli in the Mainz area, but the Italian puts his shot narrowly wide from a tight angle. Let-off for Mainz!

50'
vs

Caution

Ndour catches the foot of Kohr, and can have no complaints with the referee's decision.

50'
vs
Cher Ndour
48'
vs

First booking

Maloney's cautioned after being beaten by and pulling back Ndour.

48'
vs
Lennard Maloney
46'
vs

Under way!

Widmer's on at full-back for Mainz, who are quick to attack. Weiper has a go, but his deflected effort is too close to the goalkeeper.

46'
vs
Silvan Widmer
Phillipp Mwene
43'
vs

From downtown

Speculative from Amiri, whose long-range effort takes a deflection and sails behind. It's just not clicking in the final third for Mainz right now...

39'
vs

Potulski to the rescue!

Fiorentina cut through the Mainz defence and send Dodo away up the right-hand side. He crosses for Piccoli, but Potulski makes a brilliant recovery challenge to avert the danger.

36'
vs

Direct passing

Promising build-up ends with Ranieri hooking clear Amiri's probing ball into the danger zone. That's more like it from Henriksen's side!

31'
vs

Lucky boy

Ex-Wolfsburg and Dortmund defender Marin Pongračić escapes with just a talking-to after catching Maloney with a stray elbow.

27'
vs

Stat attack

That was the 23rd goal Mainz have conceded in 16 competitive games this season, but first in the Conference League proper.

23'
vs

Zentner to the rescue!

The Mainz stopper does really well to stop Piccoli firing home after purposeful play by Fortini. The 05ers are on the ropes...

16'
vs
Simon Sohm

GOAL!

0:1
17'
vs

Mainz behind!

After that bright start, the 05ers fall behind. Da Costa concedes possession to Caviglia. It goes through Piccoli, who feeds Sohm for a confident finish from the edge of the area!

13'
vs

Teasing run

Mainz come again as Sieb jinks into the penalty area. He tries to find Nebel, but the cross has too much on it and goes out of play for a goal-kick.

9'
vs

Right idea

Nebel runs clear on the right-hand side before crossing for Weiper. It's slightly behind the youngster, though, and the goalkeeper is able to make a routine save.

4'
vs

Mainz in charge

Mainz have made an assured start. They're seeing plenty of the ball as Amiri swings in a cross that's well held by Martinelli.

1'
vs

Purposeful

Mainz go straight on the attack, but there's an offside flag and Fiorentina can breathe again.

0 - 0

Kick-off!

vs

Sea of red and white

The Mainz fans have put on a fabulous Tifo ahead of kick-off. That'll be sure to fire up the home side!

vs

Džeko on the bench

As for the hosts, interim coach Galloppa recalls goalkeeper Martinelli, defender Pablo Mari, midfielder Sohm and forwards Piccoli and Fazzini. Former Wolfsburg striker Džeko is among the players to make way.

vs

Rotation in the Mainz ranks

Henriksen makes four changes to the weekend draw with Bremen. Messrs Potulski, Da Costa, Kawasaki and Weiper are cycled in, with Hanche-Olsen, Sano, Widmer and Hollerbach dropping to the bench.

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