Mainz 05 Secures Second Consecutive Conference League Win with Narrow 1-0 Victory Over Zrinjski Mostar
Mainz 05 achieved their second straight victory in the 2025 Conference League, defeating Zrinjski Mostar 1-0 with Nelson Weiper scoring the decisive goal.
- • Mainz 05 won 1-0 against Zrinjski Mostar in the UEFA Conference League group stage.
- • Nelson Weiper scored the only goal in the 24th minute, after initially hitting the post.
- • Coach Bo Henriksen made nine changes to the starting lineup, retaining only two players from the previous match.
- • Zrinjski Mostar was reduced to ten men after Igor Savic’s red card in the 37th minute.
Key details
FSV Mainz 05 continued their strong start in the 2025 UEFA Conference League group stage by clinching a 1-0 home win against Zrinjski Mostar from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The decisive goal came in the 24th minute, scored by forward Nelson Weiper, who first hit the post but then converted from close range. This victory marked Mainz's second successive win after a 1-0 triumph over Omonia Nicosia, positioning them well early in the tournament.
Coach Bo Henriksen made significant changes ahead of the match, introducing nine new players into the starting lineup and retaining only Dominik Kohr and Kaishu Sano from the previous fixture against Bayer Leverkusen. Despite the many changes, Mainz controlled the game, although they encountered a resilient defensive effort from Zrinjski Mostar. The Bosnian side was reduced to ten men just before halftime when Igor Savic was sent off for a foul, giving Mainz a numerical advantage.
Mainz created several opportunities to extend their lead, including a corner kick chance and a close attempt by Lennard Maloney, but failed to convert them. Additionally, a potential penalty for Mainz was overturned after a VAR review. Post-match, Nelson Weiper reflected on the team's performance, acknowledging the solid defensive play of the opposition and the need for Mainz to improve offensively to score more goals.
Looking ahead, Mainz aims to build on this momentum as they prepare for important upcoming fixtures. Their next Bundesliga match will be against VfB Stuttgart, whom they will also face shortly after in the DFB-Pokal. Mainz hope their confidence from these European successes carries into domestic competitions. Meanwhile, other German teams experienced mixed fortunes in European tournaments, with SC Freiburg winning 2-0 in the Europa League while VfB Stuttgart faced a setback with a 0-1 defeat to Fenerbahce Istanbul.