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Mainz and Hoffenheim draw

Ross DunbarSeptember 26, 2014

Matchday Six commences without a single goal and little entertainment at the Coface Arena - but both Mainz and Hoffenheim are without defeat in the Bundesliga with 10 points from a possible 18.

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Stefan Bell and Anthony Modeste
Image: Daniel Roland/AFP/Getty Images

Mainz and Hoffenheim preserved their unbeaten starts to this season with the pair firing a blank to start Matchday Six. Neither, however, could bag the points needed to temporarily nudge Bayern Munich off top-spot.

Considering the 142 goals involving Hoffenheim matches last season, with 72 scored and 70 conceded in the division, the prospect of a goalless draw seemed well off the cards. Markus Gisdol's men were blunt in attack, but marshaled Mainz's counter-attacks well and, generally, looked watertight in defense.

The best chance of the match was in the 10th minute when Eugen Polanski, returning to his former employers, slipped through an exquisitely-timed pass to Anthony Modeste who failed to convert from a few yards out when one-on-one with Mainz goalie Loris Karius.

Roberto Firmino, an industrious performer on the night, fired one or two warning shots, while Niklas Süle headed over the crossbar from close range in the 33rd minute. Mainz, meanwhile, enjoyed the majority of possession, but lacked a cutting edge without the injured Shinji Okazaki, the team's top goal-scorer with five from five matches.

Jonas Hofmann
Hofmann added some pace towards the end for Mainz, but they couldn't scoreImage: picture-alliance/dpa/Fredrik von Erichsen

The second half livened up, though, for the home side with Jonas Hofmann, on loan from Borussia Dortmund, taking the initiative. In the 53rd minute, the 22-year-old roamed with the ball towards the center, skipping past several yellow shirts, before dragging his shot high and wide of the intended target.

Hofmann and right-back Daniel Brosinski combined intelligently on the right-flank, but Kasper Hjulmand's side couldn't exchange their 62% possession and almost 50% more completed passes into a goal-scoring opportunity.

Brazilian Firmino headed onto the post after the hour mark, but Gisdol's side were unable to offer up the goal-heavy, absorbing football that was their trademark last season.

The two teams move on to 11 points, temporarily second and third in the table, with Mainz drawing 0-0 at home for the second time this campaign.

Check out our Live Ticker below, if you would like to track the game blow-by-blow.