Swiss manager Urs Fischer made his highly anticipated return to the sidelines on Thursday, taking the helm of Mainz 05 in a UEFA Europa Conference League match against Lech Poznań. After a nearly two-year absence from coaching, Fischer’s debut ended in a 1-1 draw, a result achieved despite an early red card for Mainz’s Nikolas Veratschnig which forced them to play a man down for over 20 minutes. the draw marks a potentially positive start for Fischer as he aims to revitalize the German club’s European campaign.
Urs Fischer began his tenure as Mainz manager with a hard-fought draw. His first match in charge against Lech Poznań ended in a 1-1 stalemate in the Conference League.
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After nearly two years out of the game, Urs Fischer returned to the sidelines on Thursday, taking charge of Mainz 05. The 59-year-old Swiss manager had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Lech Poznań in his debut match. Considering the flow of the game, Fischer will likely view the point as a positive start.
A quick impact from a Fischer substitution – Sota Kawasaki replacing the injured Silvan Widmer in the 26th minute – led to the opening goal for the visitors. Kawasaki marked his entrance with a goal, slotting the ball home to give Mainz a 1-0 lead. The Japanese international was again involved moments later, as a challenge from Kawasaki was deemed a penalty by the referee. Mikael Ishak then confidently converted the spot-kick with a Panenka, leveling the score at 1-1 in the 41st minute.
Full of energy
Urs Fischer.
IMAGO / Matthias Koch
Following a red card to Nikolas Veratschnig in the 66th minute, Poznań pushed for a go-ahead goal while playing with a man advantage. However, Fischer’s side remained resolute, securing a valuable point and maintaining their position on course for the knockout stages. Mainz returns to league action on Sunday with a tough test against Bayern Munich.
Conference League
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