Hoffenheim started strongly with a chance to Boris Vukcevic in the eighth minute down the right side. Just moments later the midfielder was at it again. His shot towards goal was deflected past the Mainz keeper by defender Nikolce Noveski, to send Hoffenheim into an early lead.

Hoffenheim striker Srdjan Lakic could have made it 2-nil soon after, but his angled shot missed the target.

Mainzthen started to ease slowly into the game - first Mohamed Zidan missed from seventeen meters after sprinting from the halfway line. Then, in the 25th minute Mainz midfielder Elkin Soto smashed one well over the goal.

But Mohamed Zidan then was on hand to make the most of some poor Hoffenheim defending in the 29th minute. Following a good run and cross from Radoslav Zabavnik down the left flank, the Egyptian international volleyed from a short distance into the right corner. It was his third goal in as many matches, since transferring from Borussia Dortmund.

At half time the score was 1-all, an accurate reflection of what had turned into a balanced game.

Missed chances

Hoffenheim started the second half with a charge on goal from Tobias Weis. But it amounted to nothing as he couldn't get his shot away.

Weis was soon replaced by Ryan Babel. His introduction made an immediate impact, as he set up an attacking move towards goal. But his final strike from the edge of the penalty box was well wide.

In the second half both teams struggled in the heavy conditions to make any sort of attacking inroads. Mainz themselves had a half-chance in the 71st minute. But it was followed by more shots by Hoffenheim - all of them without success.

In the 81st minute, Marvin Compper's volley was flicked on by Lakic just over the bar, in what was the hosts' best chance of the half. In the end, the match ended 1-1.

The result marks the sixth draw at home for Hoffenheim in a row - a new club record.

After the game, Hoffenheim coach - Markus Babbel - told broadcaster Sky: "After the 1-nil we couldn't use our other chances unfortunately. We were too passive and tried to score goals through individual attacks. But you can't do that against Mainz."

Mainz's coach, Thomas Tuchel, was downbeat about the own goal from his team early in the game. "When the opponent doesn't shoot the goals, we do it ourselves. Own goals have cost us a lot this season."

Next week Mainz will take on Kaiserslautern, while Hoffenheim travel to Wolfsburg.

Author: André Leslie
Editor: Spencer Kimball