Mainz took part in a pre-match team huddle before the Rhein-Main derby against Eintracht Frankfurt
Mainz took part in a pre-match team huddle before the Rhein-Main derby against Eintracht Frankfurt

Mainz clip Eagles' wings

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Frankfurt - Eintracht Frankfurt have been praised for their attacking performances so far this season, but were beaten at their own game by 1. FSV Mainz 05, who put on a masterclass of free-flowing football in the Rhine-Main Derby.

Parker shines

South African summer signing Shawn Parker was the star of the show for Thomas Tuchel's side as he first set-up Andreas Ivanschitz before netting an effort of his own. With Frankfurt uncharacteristically lacking in confidence in the final third Nikolce Noveski's headed effort put the game to bed despite an Adam Szalai own goal offering the hosts a glimmer of hope.

Chances were few and far between during the opening exchanges in
Frankfurt, with both sides guilty of a lack of ideas in the final third. It was Mainz who grabbed the match by the scruff of the neck, though, as first Andreas Ivanschitz and then Parker went close to breaking the deadlock before the two combined to put the visitors in front. Parker beat his man for pace to pull the ball back into the danger area, where Austrian international Ivanschitz was on hand to sweep home past a stranded Kevin Trapp.

Eintracht sought a response, but with their final ball lacking in precision and Mainz holding a disciplined line at the back, the high-fliers' attacking movements were continually rebuffed. Tuchel's side made no mistake in capitalising on the opportunity as they doubled their lead when Parker, making his debut in the starting XI, tucked home Eugen Polanski's through-ball to land a sucker punch just before half-time.

Mainz show mettle


Mainz were having their way with Frankfurt and there was little change after the break as the visitors attempted to kill off the game. Trapp got just enough on Parker's early effort to tip it onto the bar, but the Eagles' second-half resistance didn't last long as Noveski rose highest from a corner to power a header past the bodies on the line.

The host were, however, handed a lifeline soon after when Mainz's top goalscorer Szalai got his clearance all wrong and put through his own net, yet they struggled to make the most of a potential shift in momentum. Christian Wetklo was on hand to prevent both Stefan Aigner and Sebastian Rode pulling Frankfurt within a goal of levelling the scores and from there, Mainz began to close up shop. Julian Baumgartlinger's second bookable offence saw the visitors reduced to ten-men late on, but it didn't change the result as Frankfurt suffered their first home defeat of the campaign.

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