1. FSV Mainz 05 earned a solid 2-0 victory over Sigma Olomouc at the MEWA ARENA in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League knockout tie. The Bundesliga side will take a comfortable two-goal cushion to the Czech Republic for the second leg, putting them in a strong position to advance. Mainz controlled the tempo from the outset and broke the deadlock just after the half-hour mark, with a forward finishing from close range after a sustained period of pressure. The home side continued to dominate possession and sealed the win in the second half, scoring a second goal from a well-rehearsed corner-kick routine. Sigma Olomouc offered little attacking threat, managing only a few long-range efforts that were comfortably dealt with by Mainz's defense and goalkeeper. The match was a professional and controlled performance from Mainz, who avoided any major scares or controversies. The result sees Mainz continue their positive form in European competition this season. Mainz manager Bo Svensson praised his team's focus, saying, "We did a professional job. We didn't concede, scored two good goals, and now we have a good foundation for the second leg." The Sigma Olomouc coach acknowledged the quality gap, commenting, "Mainz were the better team tonight. We will try to prepare better for the home game and give our fans something to cheer." Mainz's starting lineup featured Zentner, Hanche-Olsen, Bell, van den Berg, Da Costa, Barreiro, Kohr, Caci, Lee, Gruda, and Ajorque.