Report & Highlights: Palace beaten in second Mainz match-up

Summary:

• All change for both sides for second hour-long match, following a 1-1 draw.
• 4 – GOAL: Sieb races onto a bouncing ball to nod Mainz into the lead.
• 13 – GOAL: Bobzien’s flying header doubles Mainz’s advantage.
• 14: Nketiah tests Rieß’ handling as Palace look to hit back.
• 17: Benítez plunges low to deny Kawasaki inside the box.
• 25: Sieb gets in behind but blazes over with just the keeper to beat.
• HT: Mainz 05 2-0 Palace
• 32: Cardines’ cross finds Nketiah unmarked, but the striker can’t divert on target.
• 36 – GOAL: Leitch’s header bounces against the woodwork and Schopp taps home.
• 47 – GOAL: Esse caps an incisive Palace move with a composed finish.
• 56 – GOAL: Lacroix pulls another one back, heading home Sosa’s free-kick.
• FT: Mainz 05 3-2 Palace

Please note the highlights below cover both matches on the afternoon, including our 1-1 draw earlier in the day.

Match minutes throughout the squad were the target for Oliver Glasner’s side at the start of the day and – following a 1-1 draw in the first game between the two teams at Hans-Ludwig-Stadion moments prior – the manager named a completely fresh starting XI for the second of two hour-long matches.

Marc Guéhi and Eddie Nketiah both returned from minor injuries which had kept them out of Friday’s win over Crawley Town, while Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Romain Esse supported the No. 9 in attack.

It was Mainz’ attack which proved sharpest early on, however, and after a long ball over the top from defender Konstantin Schopp was allowed to bounce, Armindo Sieb was first to it – just inside the area – to loft a header over Palace ‘keeper Walter Benítez, being caught on the follow-through for his troubles.

Palace struggled to find an early rhythm and, 10 minutes later, found themselves 2-0 down. The Eagles failed to prevent Arnaud Nordin from whipping in a flat cross which was met with a stooping header by Ben Bobzien, who duly found the bottom corner.

That sparked Palace into life and Nketiah was quick to react with a breakaway down the left side, testing Lasse Rieß in the Mainz goal with a fierce drive across goal on his left foot; the ‘keeper handled it well.

With chances continuing to flow in the opening period, Benítez was next to make a smart stop after quarter-of-an-hour, smothering Sota Kawasaki’s effort from a tight angle.

Five minutes before the interval, the ever-menacing Sieb really ought to have put the game out of sight, running onto another long pass – but blazing over with the goal at his mercy.

A half-time substitution saw Rio Cardines – the promising Academy full-back, recently turned senior Trinidad & Tobago international – introduced on the Palace right flank in place of Naouirou Ahamada.

And the 19-year-old was involved straight away, found by a short free-kick and whipping in a delightful delivery from the left which sailed through a crowd of bodies before landing on Nketiah’s foot; twisting his body, the No. 9 could not divert it on target.

Mainz trebled their lead soon after, a throw-in routine leading to a cross being hoisted into the Palace box. Maxim Leitsch won the initial header and his effort crashed against the frame of the goal; fellow defender Konstantin Schopp raced in to score the easiest goal of his life on the line.

Palace were struggling to click into gear – but found some attacking rhythm with 10 minutes remaining as Esse cut inside, exchanged passes with substitute Odsonne Edouard, dribbled past another player and picked out the bottom-left corner with a composed finish.

As the heavens opened in the closing stages, Palace were given further hope with four minutes remaining: Esse was chopped down cynically on the right flank, and Borna Sosa’s in-swinging free-kick was glanced home emphatically by Maxence Lacroix.

With Palace pressing for an equaliser in the closing stages, the clock eventually ran out on the Eagles – but there was no shortage of fighting spirit on show, with another double-header against FC Augsburg set to take place, streamed live on Palace TV+, on Friday.

Palace XI: Benítez (GK), Clyne, Lacroix, Guéhi, Ahamada (Cardines, HT), Devenny, Kamada, Sosa, Rak-Sakyi (Rodney, 46), Nketiah (Edouard, 46), Esse.

Subs not used: Matthews (GK).

Mainz XI: Rieß (GK), Schopp, Leitsch, Potulski, Widmer, Gleiber, Maloney, Nordin, Bobzien, Sieb, Kawasaki.

Subs not used: Bos (GK), Batz, Kinzig

As It Happened