MAINZ 1 - 4 COCO0 (384730850)

3977 spectators arrived at MAINZ ARENA, where weather conditions were pretty good for football. Henrik Larsson was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Bert Jan Adriaans and Domonkos Kókai. MAINZ decided to use a 4-4-2 set up. The following players had been chosen: Plattner - Hofmann-Schlickenrade, Eckhardstein, Wimmers, Dannert - Belli, Usvardi, Vincze, Schulgang - Koutas, Ohlstedt.

COCO0 tactics involved an interesting 4-4-2 combination. Starters: Graupensberger - Gaugg-Tsallis, Krysl, Zerbst, Nesser - Jackwerth, Würselen, Leising, Schobert - Asschenfeldt, Mofardin.

Some quick footwork on the left side of the field 11 minutes into the match left COCO0's G. Asschenfeldt completely free to score. 0 - 1 for the visitors. 22 minutes in, MAINZ's R. Hofmann-Schlickenrade received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. Unfortunately for COCO0, N. Jackwerth was injured when the game became more physical, and he had to leave the field. V. Fünf replaced him. After 27 minutes, a mistake by the home side's left defence allowed C. Würselen to get through. He outclassed the home side's keeper, adding another goal for the visitors. 0 - 2. It was 0 - 2 at the break. Possession in this half belonged to COCO0, who controlled the ball 65 percent of the time.

With 55 minutes played, a quick exchange of passes on the left wing freed T. Krysl of COCO0 to slip through the defence and score another goal for the visitors. That made the score 0 - 3. By now, the players in COCO0 felt that victory was guaranteed and began to play it safe, focusing on defence and not risking too much going forward. R. Hofmann-Schlickenrade remonstrated furiously with the referee after MAINZ had another decision go against them. The referee had no alternative but to show him another yellow card and send him from the pitch. MAINZ's S. Koutas cut towards the middle after 63 minutes, receiving a brilliant pass and slicing through the visiting team's central defence, reducing the lead to 1 - 3. With 67 minutes played, R. Mofardin of COCO0 fell dramatically just outside the penalty area. However, the referee was unimpressed, and booked him for diving. 72 minutes into the match, the visitors put themselves ahead 1 - 4 as G. Asschenfeldt finished off an attack from the left with a spectacular scissors kick. After 77 minutes a well-practised indirect free kick routine by COCO0 was easily anticipated by the defenders. The players forward were so well marked, they were left with few viable options. COCO0's E. Nesser got himself booked for a foul. The player down was M. Schulgang. The MAINZ bench looked worried for a while, but in the end he managed to get up. COCO0 enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 69 percent of possession.

Most important MAINZ player was P. Belli. F. Plattner was a disappointment, however. V. Fünf performed admirably for COCO0. However, T. Graupensberger made a disastrous appearance. The match ends 1 - 4.