Eintracht clinch battling win over Mainz | OneFootball

Mario Götze’s 73rd-minute header proved the difference as the Eagles edged past 1. FSV Mainz 05 in a hard-fought encounter. Sebastian Rode returned to action in the second half.

After a goalless first half, Götze struck the winner with 17 minutes remaining when he nodded past Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner from close range, preserving Eintracht’s unbeaten start to the new year.

Eagles unchanged

Dino Toppmöller kept faith with the side that started the 2-2 draw at SV Darmstadt 98 last weekend. Farès Chaibi and Ellyes Skhiri were named on the bench after recently returning from Africa Cup of Nations duty, but there was no place in the squad for January signing Jean-Mattéo Bahoya – although the 18-year-old was involved in the warm-up at Deutsche Bank Park. There was also a tribute before the game to outgoing president Peter Fischer ahead of the final home match of his 25-year tenure.

No first-half breakthrough

Despite Eintracht dominating the early possession, the best chance of the opening exchanges fell Mainz’s way as the unmarked Marco Richter shot straight at Kevin Trapp from the edge of the six-yard box. The linesman’s flag went up, but replays showed Richter was onside and had he found the back of the net, the goal would have stood.

Junior Dina Ebimbe steered a header wide from a trademark Götze cross and Ansgar Knauff scuffed a low shot past the post, but Mainz were defending in numbers and making it difficult for Toppmöller’s charges to create meaningful openings. Zentner was forced into action when Robin Koch headed another Götze cross into the arms of the Mainz goalkeeper, but there was no separating the teams at the interval.

Götze nets winner

Chaibi replaced Donny van de Beek at half-time, but Mainz made the brighter start to the second half and Karim Onisiwo almost got on the end of a Richter delivery, which evaded everyone in a crowded penalty area and sailed narrowly wide of the far post. Niels Nkounkou had Zentner scrambling across his goal line with a low drive from Knauff’s pass, but the Mainz goalkeeper was relieved to see the effort trickle wide for a goal-kick.

The game’s only goal proved to be a scrappy one, but Eintracht fans will not have cared one bit. Willian Pacho’s long-range effort was saved by Zentner, who denied Götze on the rebound but was powerless to prevent the 31-year-old heading home the follow-up and sending the home fans wild. Götze’s effort was subject to a lengthy review by the video assistant referee, but the goal was given and Eintracht saw out the closing stages to claim a valuable three points and continue their unbeaten start to 2024. Captain Sebastian Rode also made his comeback from injury late on, replacing Götze with eight minutes remaining.