Mainz savour dazzling debut
Thursday, 14 July 2005
By Andreas Alf at the Waldstadion

Two goals from promising striker Benjamin Auer helped
1. FSV Mainz 05 to a comfortable victory at home to FC
MIKA as the German side took a huge step towards the
UEFA Cup second qualifying round on their debut in
continental competition.

Ruman opener
The Armenian side were massive underdogs going into
the game and after Petr Ruman gave the Bundesliga
outfit the lead on eleven minutes, there was no way
back. Auer then doubled the lead ten minutes before
half-time, and following Nikolce Noveski’s strike to
make it 3-0 just prior the hour, the former Germany
Under-21 striker rounded off a comprehensive win with
his second of the evening.

Debut goal
But while Auer took the plaudits it was Antonio da
Silva that inspired the win. The tireless Brazilian
playmaker took the game to the visitors from the
kick-off, his probing runs and searching balls
immediately putting MIKA on the back foot. The
visitors defended stoutly but soon found themselves
behind when Czech striker Ruman opened his account for
his new employers with an excellent long-range drive.

Hovhannisyan fumble
The goal sent a crowd of 22,000 inside local rivals
Eintracht Frankfurt’s stadium into raptures but while
their defence was never troubled, MIKA goalkeeper
Garnik Hovhannisyan was not overly tested either in
the minutes that followed. Perhaps it was the lack of
action that caught the custodian cold on 35 minutes as
he fumbled Benjamin Weigelt’s vicious long shot into
the path of Auer, who slotted in.

Poor marking
Mainz, who qualified through UEFA’s Fair Play draw,
continued where they left off after the interval, and
added to their lead on 58 minutes when the defender
Noveski headed in unmarked from five metres. Auer
found himself in space close in nine minutes later,
and duly thrashed in a volley as the German side
closed in on victory. Only the minor miracle of a
four-goal win by MIKA in the second-leg in Eriwan on
28 July can deprive them