BVB held to 2-2 draw by Mainz

Boris Rupert reporting from SIGNAL IDUNA PARK

The stadium was sold-out. Emotions were already boiling over during the warm-up. But the team did not play their game for a long time, fell 2-0 behind early on through goals by Hanche-Olsen (15) and Onisiwo (24) from Mainz's first two attacks and missed the chance to restore parity at 1-1 when Haller missed from the penalty spot (19). It was one-way traffic in the second period. Guerreiro managed to pull a goal back in the 68th minute, but Süle's equaliser came too late – the final whistle sounded shortly afterwards.

The scenario:   
First versus ninth. The Black & Yellows had won their previous four Bundesliga matches against Mainz – they did not have a longer ongoing run against any other club. In the race for the German Championship, a draw (or a defeat) would only suffice if Bayern Munich could not win away to 1. FC Cologne.

Personnel matters:   
Bynoe-Gittens missed out following his shoulder operation but Bellingham (knee problems) was back in the squad. Coach Terzic did not make any changes to the starting XI that won 3-0 in Augsburg.

Tactics:   
Borussia lined up in their usual 4-3-3 formation. The full-backs pushed high up the pitch in possession, with much of the play going down the right. Mainz played a high pressing game with four players and lined up in a compact 5-4-1 system without the ball. The 05ers transitioned to a 3-2-4-1 formation when building the play.

The match & analysis:
Wolf registered the first glimpse of goal for the Black & Yellows in the fourth minute (4) and Süle had the first opportunity with a shot on the turn (7), but then the game became tougher and Mainz took the lead via the first corner: Fernandes whipped the ball into the box and defender Hanche-Olsen guided it inside the near post with a diving header (15).

BVB had a big opportunity to restore parity four minutes later. Following an intervention by the video assistant, referee Fritz correctly awarded a spot-kick for Kohr's foul on Guerreiro. Can allowed Haller to take it but his penalty was saved by goalkeeper Dahmen. Dortmund's next attack saw Guerreiro pushed to the ground by Aaron on the edge of the six-yard box as he prepared to shoot – but the referee's whistle did not sound.

Instead, Mainz dealt BVB another blow. After receiving the ball from Aaron, Lee crossed the ball perfectly from the left wing into the path of the unmarked Onisiwo, who headed home from the penalty spot to make it 2-0. Kobel touched the ball with his fingertips but it ended up in the back of the net via the inside of the post. BVB continued to dominate in the period that followed but could not unlock Mainz's focused back line until shortly before the break. Brandt broke through on the left following a pass from Reus, who had come on to replace the injured Adeyemi, skipped past a second Mainz player in the penalty area but could not get the better of Dahmen with his placed effort (44). Dahmen also saved Hummels' shot in stoppage time (45+2), before Malen headed against the outside of the upright (45+4).

The Black & Yellows re-emerged with a second striker. Moukoko replaced Wolf, with Ryerson moving over to right-back and Guerreiro slotting in at left-back. But Mainz had a chance to score a third goal shortly after the restart. Onisiwo's ball sent Lee clean through, but Kobel made the save (48). Defensive coordination was the big problem for the Black & Yellows throughout the match. Another example of that came in the 57th minute when Onisiwo broke through down the right but fired a powerful shot against the post.

Borussia made every effort and applied permanent pressure could hardly break through. It was not until the 59th minute that they threated once again, Haller meeting Moukoko's cross with an outstretched leg but putting it wide of the left upright. Soon afterwards, Can fired a loose ball at goal but it struck Malen's shinbone and flew centimetres wide of the target (61). Reyna and Duranville then came on for Malen and Brandt. Moukoko fired narrowly wide of the mark after being played through by Reyna (67). Then, in the 68th minute, Guerreiro received the ball from Reyna and shot from 20 metres out, slipping in the process but still finding the net via the inside of the post.

Reus had an opportunity to make it 2-2 but headed the ball over the goal (74). Haller headed into the arms of Dahmen following a Duranville cross (76), before Reyna also spurned a very good headed opportunity (78). Hummels headed a Reus free-kick agonisingly wide of the target in the 84th minute – what bad luck! Modeste's goal was ruled out for offside (90+4) and Süle's equaliser came too late (90+6). Fritz allowed the game to restart but there were no further chances.

Outlook:  
The 2022/23 season is now over. The team will commence their preparations for the coming campaign, which will kick off on 18 August, at the start of July.

Teams & goals

Bundesliga Matchday 34
BORUSSIA DORTMUND 2-2 (0-2) 1. FSV MAINZ 05

Bor. Dortmund: Kobel – Wolf (Moukoko, 46), Süle, Hummels, Ryerson (Modeste, 79) – Can – Brandt (Reyna, 62), Guerreiro – Malen (Duranville, 62), Haller, Adeyemi (Reus, 40)
1. FSV Mainz 05: Dahmen – Hanche-Olsen, Bell, Fernandes – Caci, Barreiro, Stach (Barkok, 79), Aaron – Kohr, Lee (Ingvartsen, 66) – Onisiwo (Mustapha, 90+2)
Substitutes: Meyer, Schlotterbeck, Özcan, Modeste, Bellingham – Rieß, Laux, Barkok, Burgzorg, Gruda, Weiper
Goals: 0-1 Hanche-Olsen (Fernandes, 15), 0-2 Onisiwo (Lee, 24), 1-2 Guerreiro (Reyna, 68), 2-2 Süle (90+6)
Incidents of note: Haller's penalty awarded for a foul on Guerreiro by Kohr saved by Dahmen (19)
Corners: 6-3 (2-2 at half-time), chance ratio: 11-7 (4-2)
Referee: Fritz (Korb), yellow cards: Guerreiro – Fernandes
Attendance: 81,365 (sold-out), weather: sunny, 20 degrees