1. FSV Mainz 05 beats TSG Hoffenheim and celebrates their fourth Bundesliga win in a row. After 13 games without a win, the Kraichgauers are stuck deep in the table basement.
Leandro Barreiro gave Mainz the deserved lead in the 33rd minute – and at the same time scored the goal of the day for Rheinhessen to win 1-0. Hoffenheim defended bravely, but acted far too harmlessly on the offensive. The home side can look up after the fourth win in a row, while the Hoffenheim crisis has been exacerbated by the seventh defeat in a row.
Mainz coach Svensson fit again in time for the game
Mainz coach Bo Svensson, who fell ill with the flu during the week, had recovered in time for the game against TSG Hoffenheim and was on the Rheinhessen bench. The Dane relied on the successful eleven from Game against Borussia Mönchengladbach (4:0). Striker Karim Onisiwo, who was missing against Gladbach due to knee problems, was not in the squad.
At Hoffenheim, Thomas Delaney returned to the sixth position for Sebastian Rudy. At 0:1 against Borussia Dortmund Delaney had had to pass. Ozan Kabak was back in the defensive line after suffering an ankle injury against BVB.
Restrained initial phase
Both teams started concentrated and well organized. The hosts got the first shot, but Anthony Caci’s shot was no problem for TSG keeper Oliver Baumann (5th minute). Otherwise there were no other highlights in the early stages, both teams largely neutralized each other.
In the 16th minute, Hoffenheim approached the Mainz goal for the first time, but Ozan Kabak’s header after a corner by Dennis Geiger clearly went wide to the left. Two minutes later, Andrej Kramaric passed a cross from Christoph Baumgartner to Angelino, but the winger’s shot was blocked by Mainz.
Double chance for Mainz – but no goal
The home side then had the best chance of the game up to that point in the 24th minute. A shot by Leandro Barreiro after a pass by Ludovic Ajorque was initially blocked by Hoffenheim defender Kevin Akpoguma. The rebound lands on Ajorque, but his shot was deflected and went wide of the TSG goal.
But overall, the level of the game initially remained manageable. Both teams were primarily concerned with defending well, and the intensive pressing worked on both sides. Structured and goal-oriented offensive actions remained in short supply.
Leandro Barreiro scores in his 100th Bundesliga game
A standard situation had to be used for the Mainz leadership. After a corner by Edimilson Fernandes, Stefan Bell shot free from five yards. Baumann parried the volley with a strong reflex, but the TSG keeper was powerless against Barreiro’s follow-up shot (33′). The 23-year-old Barreiro gifted himself with it. It was his fifth goal in his 100th Bundesliga game.
The Hoffenheim response was cautious. Moving forward, coach Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team continued to be uncreative and uninspired. That’s how the Rheinhessen went into the break with a well-deserved 1-0 lead.
In the second half, Hoffenheim set the first exclamation mark. When Geiger shot from distance, Robin Zentner had to stretch a lot. The Mainz goalkeeper deflected the bounce to the side. The 05ers didn’t hide either and put pressure on themselves, but they lacked precision in the last third of the attack.
Ingvartsen’s goal doesn’t count
Despite this, the home side celebrated again in the 60th minute, but Marcus Ingvartsen’s goal from Danny da Costa’s assist was rightly disallowed for offside. There was still little coming from Hoffenheim, Mainz was still defensive.
It was not until the 76th minute that the guests once again had a dangerous conclusion. Ihlas Bebou, who came on for Kramaric, failed with a flick that was placed too centrally by Zentner.
Hoffenheim had significantly more possession than the home team in the closing stages. Mainz withdrew and waited for the ball to be able to switch and counterattack. Like in the 82nd minute, when Jae-Sung Lee shot from an acute angle in Hoffenheim’s penalty area, but didn’t put enough pressure behind the ball so that Baumann was able to save safely.
Although TSG threw everything forward in the closing stages, the Mainz defense remained solid. So it ended up being the overall deserved 1-0 (1-0) win for the 05ers.
The series of the two teams endure
Both teams extended their streaks. Mainz celebrated their fourth Bundesliga victory in a row and is at least temporarily in seventh place. With 35 points from 23 games, the Rheinhessen can look up in the table. After seven league bankruptcies in a row, things are looking dramatic for Hoffenheim. With 19 points, the Kraichgauer are in relegation rank 16.
