Two goals, several aluminum hits and a saved penalty: The duel between Hoffenheim and Mainz had a lot to offer – there was just no winner.
TSG Hoffenheim and 1. FSV Mainz 05 drew 1-1 (0-1) at the end of the 12th matchday on Sunday (November 26th, 2023). Marco Richter gave the visitors the lead and Robert Skov equalized for Hoffenheim shortly after the break. In the final phase, Mainz 05 missed numerous chances to win. Hoffenheim remains sixth in the table, Mainz in sixteenth is one point behind 15th-place Darmstadt.
Widmer celebrates comeback after ankle injury
For Mainz, captain Silvan Widmer celebrated his comeback after a month-long injury break and thus his competitive debut this season. The Swiss was also involved in the first offensive action; after his pass, Tom Krauß shot over the Hoffenheim goal from a tight angle.
That was it for a few minutes in terms of goal actions, both teams largely neutralized each other in midfield. A too centrally placed shot from Hoffenheim’s attacker Maximilian Beier in the 28th minute was one of the bigger highlights of the first half hour.
Fernandes brilliant, judge with the tip of his foot
As the game slowly crept towards half-time, a brilliant moment gave Mainz the lead. Edimilson Fernandes played a fantastic ball from his own half behind the Hoffenheim defensive line to Marco Richter, who entered the penalty area from a half-left position and hit the far corner with his toe (39′). Aymen Barkok should have increased the score to 2-0 for the guests two minutes later, but he was denied by TSG keeper Oliver Baumann from close range.
Things got strange in stoppage time in the first half, as Hoffenheim missed five great chances to equalize within a few seconds. The scene began with a deep pass from Kevin Vogt, which Robert Skov placed in the penalty area for Grischa Prömel. Prömel failed due to 05 goalkeeper Robin Zentner, Fernandes blocked Beier’s follow-up shot, Marius Bülter then shot at Leandro Barreiro, Bülter headed the rebound onto the post and at the end Bülter failed again with a shot from Tom Krauß. Five chances, no goal – that’s how Mainz remained 1-0 at the break.
Skov equalizes, Baumann saves the penalty
Rheinhessen’s lead lasted until the 48th minute: Substitute Pavel Kaderabek crossed from the right to Robert Skov, whose direct volley hit the bottom right corner – making it 1-1. It was the first goal conceded by the zero fives under new coach Jan Siewert. The game became more open and attractive. Skov narrowly missed the Mainz goal with a long-range shot (56′), Barreiro tested Baumann with a shot (61′) and Barkok failed to hit the ball after a cross from Jae-Sung Lee (63′).
Just two minutes later, after a Richter pass, Mainz’s Lee as well as Hoffenheim’s Kevin Akpoguma and John Anthony Brooks went for the ball in the penalty area – with consequences for Akpoguma. Referee Deniz Aytekin looked at the duel again in the review area and recognized that Akpoguma did not hit the ball but rather Lee with his open sole. The decision based on video evidence: penalty for Mainz. Aymen Barkok shot to the right, Oliver Baumann sensed the corner and saved the penalty (68th).
Richter lets it rattle twice
As a result, 1. FSV Mainz 05 increasingly dictated the game and had several chances to score the winning goal. First Lee put a direct shot just past the Hoffenheim goal (73′), then Oliver Baumann directed a powerful free kick from Richter onto the crossbar (80′) and in the 86th minute Richter hammered another free kick onto the crossbar. The Rheinhessen, where Jonathan Burkardt also celebrated his comeback in the final phase after an injury break of more than a year, did not reward themselves for their strong final offensive and had to be content with the final score of 1-1.
Hoffenheim travels to Möchengladbach, Mainz against Freiburg
On the 13th matchday, 1. FSV Mainz 05 will also be in action on a Sunday. On December 3rd The Rheinhessen host SC Freiburg from 3:30 p.m. The Hoffenheimers are challenged a day earlier, on Saturday (December 2nd, 3:30 p.m.) Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team will play at Borussia Mönchengladbach.
2023-11-26 18:28:23
#Draw #Mainz #Baumann #crossbar #save #Hoffenheim
