Clarets fall to defeat at MEWA Arena
Vincent Kompany made use of the full squad in a useful workout for all involved in Saturday afternoon’s pre-season friendly, despite suffering a 3-0 defeat in Germany.
There was a different format to the friendly, with the standard 90 minutes set to be played then an added 30 minutes afterwards.
Kompany included Nathan Redmond in the starting line-up for the first time since joining the Clarets. Luca Koleosho was also named in the XI after featuring as a substitute last week against Benfica in Lisbon.
First Half
The first real taste of goal fell to the Clarets and Johann Berg Gudmundsson as the Icelandic midfielder picked up the ball from Redmond’s pass and drove towards goal forcing Zentner to palm the ball away.
Gudmundsson then turned provider and picked out Lyle Foster in the area with an excellently delivered cross only for the South African striker to guide the ball just wide of the target.
Redmond was next in on the action to try and break the deadlock as the experienced winger’s strike from the edge of the area fizzed wide of the post.
After a dominant start from the Clarets in attack, the friendly settled down and neither side applied much pressure in the attacking final third.
But with just four minutes until the break, Mainz took the lead as Anthony Caci made no mistake from firing in past James Trafford from inside the area.
Second Half
There was just one change at the break for the Clarets with Scott Twine replacing Redmond and it was the visitors who carved open the first chance of the second half.
Koleosho raced into the area skipping past four Mainz defenders before striking towards goal only for Zentner to deny the young Italian forward.
The hour mark then saw both sides introduce several changes with Muric, Cork, Ekdal, Vitinho, Rodriguez, Amdouni and Taylor replace Trafford, Brownhill, Al-Dakhil, Beyer, O’Shea, Foster and Koleosho.
Twine came close to clawing an equaliser when Amdouni slipped in the forward but Twine could only steer the ball just wide of the goal.
Last week’s signing Jacob Bruun Larsen was then introduced in the 77th minute coming on for Anass Zaroury for his first time in a Claret & Blue shirt.
The Dane was straight into the action and looked to have teed up Rodriguez for the equaliser, only for Bruun Larsen to be flagged for offside in the lead up to the goal as Rodriguez slotted it home from close range with the 90th minute approaching.
Added 30 Minutes
Ahead of the final half-an-hour, the Clarets brought on youngsters Owen Dodgson and Dara Costelloe for Connor Roberts and Johann Berg Gudmundsson.
Despite Costelloe testing Zentner early on with a stinging effort, it was goals from Dominik Kohr and Brajan Gruda that sealed the victory for the home side.
Burnley: Trafford (Muric 60), Roberts (Dodgson 90), Beyer (Ekdal 60), O’Shea (Taylor 60), Al-Dakhil (Vitinho 60), Brownhill (Cork 60), Gudmundsson (Costelloe 90), Zaroury (Bruun Larsen 77), Koleosho (Amdouni 60), Redmond (Twine HT), Foster (Rodriguez 60)
Substitutes not used: Vigouroux
Goals: Caci 41’, Kohr 95′, Gruda 113′
