Babbel's home debut ends in draw

Ryan Babel and Salihovic were both available for the game today after suspension and injury respectively, but started the game from the bench. Instead, new manager Markus Babbel kept faith with the same eleven which started last week's game at Werder Bremen. This meant that, among others, Boris Vukcevic kept his place in the team, after completing his first full game for the club after ten months out with a broken leg.

Vukcevic on a mission

Under a floodlit sky in Sinsheim, referee Tobias Stieler got us underway. Both sides went into the game on the back of an encouraging run of form – Hoffenheim had gained a creditable point away at Bremen last week, while Mainz have looked buoyed since the return of Mohammed Zidan from Borussia Dortmund. The Egyptian Zidan had scored two in two since his return to the Coface Arena, but it was Hoffenheim who began tonight's game on the front foot. Vukcevic tried his luck from the edge of the box, but his effort narrowly missed the target. A few minutes later, however, TSG found the breakthrough they had threatened when Mainz defender Nikolce Noveski scored at the wrong end. Vukcevic collected a super pass from Roberto Firmino and tried to find Srdjan Lakic in the box, but his pass deflected off Noveski and flew into the corner (9'). Lakic then had a decent opportunity to add to the scoreline a matter of minutes later, but couldn't fully capitalise when Mainz lost possession in their defensive third.

The game was a keenly contested affair between two sides with plenty to play for in the league, not least Bundesliga survival. Mainz, in 13th position before kick-off, were led from the front by their man of the moment Zidan. He seized upon Andreas Beck's carelessness in possession and tested Tom Starke from 20 yards, but the Hoffenheim stopper was equal to it (18'). But the away side continued to press and soon Zidan was soon celebrating his third goal in three games. Radoslav Zabavnik found space on the left to deliver a into the box and there was Zidan to slot in the equaliser for 1-1 after 28 minutes. But 1899, to their credit, recovered well from conceding the equaliser and soon went on the offensive again. Tobias Weis fizzed a dangerous ball into the area which the Mainz defence were only just able to clear, while Lakic then went close with a towering header from Sebastian Rudy's free-kick – his first goal for the club can only be a matter of time. After a first half which the home side probably just shaded, the sides went in level at the break.

End to end

There was a fantastic atmosphere in the Rhein-Neckar-Arena this evening, helped no end by the flares which were lit among the travelling Mainz supporters. But it was Hoffenheim which made the early running in the second half and looked most likely to break the stalemate. Lakic, who was putting himself about admirably, again flashed a header just off target. And then Wetklo denied Weis when he sprang at the midfielder's feet to smother the ball after great work involving Rudy and Fabian Johnson (50'). On the hour mark, Babel replaced Weis with Ryan Babel, and the Dutchman almost made an immediate impact, but he sent a powerful shot wide with just his second touch of the ball.

The home side, buoyed by raucous home support, continued their offensive on the Mainz goal. Vukcevic, who was turning out to be one of Hoffenheim's best performers on the night, twice fed Firmino, but the Brazilian was denied by two excellent stops by Christian Wetklo. His first effort was deflected clear for a corner after the Mainz stopper had closed down the angle quickly, before he was then thwarted by a more routine save from the Mainz stopper. At the other, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting kept the Hoffenheim back four in their toes with his excellent movement.

Spoils shared

The game remained an exciting and compelling spectacle right up until the final whistle. Mainz came close to creating the decisive opportunity on the break, but their final pass let them down, while Hoffenheim looked dangerous each time they crossed the halfway line. But after a competitive 90 minutes, referee Stieler brought the game to a conclusion and the spoils were shared. Coach Babbel now had two draws in two games as manager of Hoffenheim; he will be hoping he can record his first win as manager of 1899 when he takes his team to VfL Wolfsburg for matchday 23 in the Bundesliga next week.

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