MAINZ 2 NEWCASTLE 1 (Gamez)
Darlow (Woodman 60), Yedlin (Manquillo 27), Clark (Mbemba 46), Lejuene (Merino 79), Dummett (Gamez 46), Colback (Shelvey 60), Diame (Perez 60), Murphy (Hayden 60), Ritchie (Aarons 46), De Jong (Atsu 60), Mitrovic (Gayle 60)
Newcastle United tasted defeat for the first time in pre-season on a humid afternoon in Germany.
The Magpies took on the Bundesliga side in temperatures of 28 degrees in Mainz and at times looked second best during a competitive friendly affair at the Opel Arena.
United started the game in sloppy fashion and were chasing the match in the first half but an improved second period resulted in a goal for Jesus Gamez. However, Mainz snatched it late on through Victor Fischer to end United’s unbeaten record in pre-season.
Newcastle had started the game in positive fashion after pushing forward down the left-hand side. But they slipped behind after Mainz 05’s first attack on five minutes as Pablo De Blasis threaded a pass between Paul Dummett and Levin Oztunali before the German Under-21 international hooked it past Karl Darlow.
Two minutes later, DeAndre Yedlin burst down the right-hand side before delivering a low cross but Mainz 05 were alert to the danger and cleared their lines.
Newcastle looked to respond in the early stages but there was a lack of cohesion between the midfield and their frontline.
A couple of simple passes drifted past Aleksandar Mitrovic while Mo Diame’s fine ball in for Siem De Jong was blocked by Rene Adler in the Mainz goal. On 21 minutes Dummett’s curling left-wing cross was headed over by Mitrovic from six-yards.
Stefan Bell should have doubled the home side’s lead shortly afterwards but he dragged his effort wide of the target.
Newcastle made their first change of the game on 27 minutes when Javier Manquillo replaced DeAndre Yedlin. In sweltering conditions, the Magpies struggled to create any clear-cut chances and with the temperature gauge hitting 28 degrees in the first half the referee called for a water break.
Mitrovic then tried a shot from 35-yards but it lacked power and it was easily gathered by Adler.
Mainz 05 went in at the break with the lead after a below par performance from the Magpies in Germany.
There were changes at the break with Jesus Gamez replacing Dummett, Chancel Mbemba coming on for Ciaran Clark and Rolando Aarons taking over from Ritchie wide on the right.
Aarons had a shot blocked in the opening seconds after coming off the bench before Gamez’s curling long range effort was then gathered by Adler.
Mainz attacked on 52 minutes again and after Darlow had punched away a corner the ball dropped for Daniel Brosinski but his dipping volley flashed just wide.
United made a host of changes on the hour with Diame, Darlow, Murphy, Mitrovic, Colback and De Jong replaced by Jonjo Shelvey, Freddie Woodman, Isaac Hayden, Dwight Gayle, Ayoze Perez and Christian Atsu.
Newcastle tied the game up with 25 minutes left after good work from Christian Atsu and Ayoze Perez before the ball dropped kindly for Gamez.
The full-back’s shot was then deflected towards goal before sub goalkeeper Robin Zentner misjudged the bounce of the ball and could only watch as it hit the net.
Three minutes later, Gayle won a free-kick before curling it high over the bar as Newcastle started to pose some questions of the Mainz defence.
Woodman was called into action on 73 minutes when Viktor Fischer’s powerful effort was pushed over the bar with the England youth international making a quality save that even drew applause from the Mainz fans.
With 10 minutes to go Benitez handed Mikel Merino his debut for the Magpies with the Spaniard replacing Florian Lejeune at centre-back.
Newcastle forced an opening soon after with Atsu crossing for Perez but his header was high and wide.
Fischer made it 2-1 with seven minutes left on the clock when Suat Serdar played the ball his way and the ex-Middlesbrough man hammered it beyond Woodman.
Tempers flared at the final whistle as Shelvey confronted Mainz players but the coaches from either side cooled things down on what had been an energy sapping afternoon.
PRE-SEASON
MAINZ 2 NEWCASTLE 1 (Gamez)
Darlow (Woodman 60), Yedlin (Manquillo 27), Clark (Mbemba 46), Lejuene (Merino 79), Dummett (Gamez 46), Colback (Shelvey 60), Diame (Perez 60), Murphy (Hayden 60), Ritchie (Aarons 46), De Jong (Atsu 60), Mitrovic (Gayle 60)
BRADFORD CITY 0 NEWCASTLE 4 (Gayle, Murphy 2, Mitrovic)
Elliot (Woodman, 61), Yedlin (Manquillo, 46), Lejeune (Mbemba, 61), Clark (Saivet, 77), Dummett (Gamez, 61), Atsu (De Jong, 61), Shelvey (Aarons, 61), Hayden (Colback, 77), Ritchie (Murphy, 46), Perez (Diame, 46), Gayle (Mitrovic, 61).
PRESTON 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Mitrovic)
Elliot (Darlow, 46, Woodman, 70), Mbemba, Hanley (Yedlin, 46), Lejeune (Manquillo, 77), Dummett (Clark, 46), Atsu (Murphy, 46), Diame (Colback, 46), Shelvey (Hayden, 46), Aarons (Perez, 46), de Jong (Roberts, 62), Mitrovic (Gayle, 46).
HEARTS 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Gayle 2)
Elliot (Woodman 63), Aarons(Gamez 46), Clark (Dummett 46), Mbemba (Hanley 62), Lascelles (Lejeune 46), Haidara (Colback 62), Shelvey (Saivet 46), Diame (Armstrong 62), De Jong (Lazaar 75), Atsu (Perez 46), Gayle (Mitrovic 46)