It was not the ideal European debut for coach Daniele Galloppa, who handed Tommaso Martinelli a start in goal and lined up Jacopo Fazzini and Roberto Piccoli in attack. Mainz began with captain Nadiem Amiri in midfield, while Paul Nebel, Nelson Weiper and Armindo Sieb formed the attacking trio.

In the tenth minute, Nebel won the ball down the left and crossed for Weiper, whose header was saved by an alert Martinelli. Five minutes later, Fiorentina struck first: Hans Nicolussi Caviglia won the ball high up the pitch, Piccoli laid it off first time and Sohm blasted home on the half volley with his right foot to make it 1-0.

In the 22nd minute, Niccolo Fortini led a superb counterattack and squared for Piccoli, but his shot was kept out by Robin Zentner. Just before half time, Dodo broke down the right, combined with Sohm and crossed for Fazzini, whose close-range effort was denied by a sliding block from Kacper Potulski. After two minutes of added time, the Viola went into the break 1-0 up, having also created two major chances through Piccoli and Fazzini.

Mainz made a change at the restart, bringing on Silvan Widmer for Mwene. In the 55th minute, Sohm’s driving run set up Piccoli in front of goal, but his left-footed effort went wide. Fiorentina made their first changes in the 59th minute, replacing Piccoli and Cher Ndour with Moise Kean and Rolando Mandragora. Mainz also turned to their bench, introducing Jae-sung Lee for Sieb and Kaishu Sano for Lennard Maloney.

In the 65th minute, Nebel made way for Benedict Hallerbach, who levelled the score just three minutes later after being picked out by Lee and finishing calmly past Martinelli. Galloppa responded by sending on Pietro Comuzzo for Pablo Mari.

In the 77th minute, Dodo delivered a pinpoint cross for Kean, whose glancing header missed the target by inches. Mainz’s final substitution came in the 81st minute, with William Boving replacing Amiri. Galloppa made his last change five minutes later, bringing off Sohm for Nicolo Fagioli.

In stoppage time, Lee completed the comeback, heading home a cross from Sano in the 95th minute. It was a cruel blow for the Viola, who had looked close to securing a draw. The match finished 2-1 to the hosts, despite Fiorentina having led through Sohm’s early strike.

Mainz 2-1 Fiorentina (HT: 0-1)

Scorers: Sohm 16, Hollerbach 68, Jae-sung 90+5.

MAINZ (3-4-3): Zentner; Potulski, Da Costa, Kohr; Mwene (Widmer 46), Amiri (Boving 81), Maloney (Sano 59), Kawasaki; Nebel (Hallerbach 65), Weiper, Sieb (Lee 59).
Substitutes: Riess, Batz, Nordin, Veratschnig, Hanche-Olsen, Bobzien, Gleiber.
Coach: Bo Henriksen.

FIORENTINA (3-5-2): Martinelli; Pongracic, Pablo Mari (Comuzzo 68), Ranieri; Dodo, Sohm (Fagioli 85), Nicolussi Caviglia, Ndour (Mandragora 59), Fortini; Fazzini, Piccoli (Kean 59).
 Substitutes: Lezzerini, De Gea, Dzeko, Richardson, Viti, Kouadio, Parisi.
Coach: Daniele Galloppa.

Booked: Ndour (F), Nebel (M), Pablo Mari (F), Amiri (M).

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