Joker da Costa scores: Mainz holds Hoffenheim to a draw - Hoffenheim’s Champions League push stalls after dramatic Mainz draw
Hoffenheim missed the chance to move into the Champions League spots after a 1-1 draw with Mainz. The result ended their five-match winning streak in the Bundesliga. Both sides fought hard, but neither could secure all three points in a tense encounter.
Mainz, meanwhile, have gone over two months without a league victory, despite their strong form in the Europa Conference League.
The game started poorly for Mainz when Andreas Hanche-Olsen scored an own goal in the 9th minute. Hoffenheim took control early but failed to extend their lead.
Pressure from Mainz grew as the match wore on. Danny da Costa finally equalised in the 76th minute, capitalising on a sustained spell of attacking play. The closing stages saw frantic action, with both teams wasting clear chances to win.
Hoffenheim’s hopes were further dented in the 88th minute when Dominik Kohr received a red card. The dismissal set a new Bundesliga record for career sendings-off. Despite the setback, Hoffenheim held on for a point, but their captain, Oliver Baumann, marked his 500th Bundesliga appearance with a missed opportunity to climb the table.
Off the pitch, Hoffenheim’s sporting director Andreas Schicker has been appointed but may soon leave for Wolfsburg. The club has already begun searching for a replacement.
The draw leaves Hoffenheim just outside the Champions League places, while Mainz remain winless in the league since early February. Their unbeaten run in the Europa Conference League continues, but domestic struggles persist. Hoffenheim, meanwhile, must now regroup after failing to build on their recent winning streak.
