◤UEFA Conference League◢ Kaishu Sano scores wonder goal as Mainz defeats Strasbourg with a surprise 2-0 win..

Mainz pulled off a shock 2-0 win over Strasbourg in the first leg of their 2025/26 UEFA Conference League quarter-final match at the MEWA Arena on Thursday.

In the first half, Kaishu Sano scored a spectacular goal, followed by a goal through a half-volley from Posch. In the second half, Barco's shot unfortunately hit the crossbar. Ultimately, Mainz secured a 2-0 victory over Strasbourg.

First Half

In the 11th minute, Mainz launched a deadly counter-attack. Sota Kawasaki passes horizontally from near the midfield center circle. Kaishu Sano quickly followed up, got the ball, dribbled and cuts inside towards the edge of the penalty area before unleashing a powerful right-footed long shot that flew straight into the top right corner of the net which turned into a wonder goal, leaving Mike Penders helpless. Mainz broke the deadlock early, taking a 1-0 lead! This marks the first time in modern European football history that two Japanese players from the same team have made goal contributions the same match!

7 minutes later, Mainz launched a quick counter-attack. Valentin Barco made an error while clearing the ball in his own back half. Stefan Posch quickly followed up, intercepted the ball and took a few steps before taking a left-footed long shot from outside the penalty aream but his shot was saved by Penders.

In the 19th minute, Mainz earned a crucial corner opportunity. Paul Nebel took the corner by crossing it into the box, where Posch half-volleyed the ball into the top right corner of the net with his right foot from the center of the box, giving Mainz a commanding 2-0 lead!

In the 34th minute, Mainz launched another quick counter-attack. Nelson Weiper intercepted the ball and passes it horizontally from the attacking third. Paul Nebel quickly followed up, got the ball and dribbled into the left side of the box before volleying with his left foot, but his shot went just wide of the bottom right corner of the post.

At halftime, Mainz already temporarily leads Strasbourg by 2-0 going into the break.

Second Half

Both teams switched sides as match continued. In the 49th minute, Sano passes horizontally from the pitch. Philipp Tietz quickly followed up and upon receiving the pass, volleyed with his right footed shot from the right side of the box, but his shot ball was saved by Penders.

4 minutes later, Dominik Kohr made a straight pass from the attacking third. Tietz quickly followed up, got the ball and took a few steps before volleying with his right foot from the left side of the box, but his shot was saved by Penders.

In the 57th minute, Gessime Yassine passes horizontally from the attacking third. After beating the offside trap, Julio Enciso quickly followed up and upon receiving the pass, strucked the ball with a right-footed shot from the center of the box, but his shot was saved by Daniel Batz.

In the 74th minute, Enciso made a straight pass from the attacking third. Valentin Barco quickly followed up, got the ball, dribbled and cuts into the left side of the box before volleying with his left-footed shot, but his shot unfortunately hit the top left corner of the crossbar and bounced off! Strasbourg missed a golden opportunity to pull one back!

5 minutes later, Nebel passes horizontally from the left wing. Kohr quickly followed up, got the ball and took a few steps before volleying with his left foot from the center of the box. His shot was initially saved and was parried not far away by Penders. Armindo Sieb quickly followed up and upon picking up the loose ball, took a right-footed follow-up shot from very close distance in the from box, but his shot somehow went just slightly wide of the left side of the box. Mainz missed a golden opportunity to further secure the victory!

When final whistle is blown, Mainz pulled off a surprise 2-0 win against Strasbourg.

Image source: Internet / Sky Sports Germany