Elversberg, newly promoted to the Bundesliga, thrash Mainz 4-1 with three first-half goals

SV Elversberg, the Saarland club promoted to the Bundesliga at the end of the 2025–26 season, enjoyed a night to remember in the round's opening match. At the URSAPHARM-Arena an der Kaiserlinde, the hosts beat Mainz 4-1 after leading by three goals at halftime.

Three goals before the break

Felix Keidel opened the scoring in the 7th minute with a right-footed free kick into the bottom corner. In the 26th minute Francis Onyeka scored from the center of the box after a pass from David Mokwa, and in first-half stoppage time Maurice Krattenmacher made it 3-0 with a left-footed shot following a corner.

Mainz's coach reacted in the 63rd minute with four substitutions at once, bringing on Benedict Hollerbach, Ransford Königsdörffer, Silvan Widmer and Lennard Maloney, but without changing the course of the game. Play was also briefly stopped in the 76th minute for an injury to Elversberg goalkeeper Nicolas Kristof.

Two substitutes, one goal

In the 90th minute, two Elversberg substitutes combined for the fourth goal: Nicholas Mickelson provided the assist and Cole Campbell scored with a left-footed shot. Mainz pulled one back in stoppage time through Hollerbach, from close range, after a VAR check. In the final minutes defender Stefan Posch received a second yellow card and was sent off.

It was also a difficult night for Mainz in terms of discipline: besides Posch, Phillipp Mwene, Danny da Costa and Königsdörffer were booked.