Mainz and St. Pauli play out a goalless draw in Matchday 15's basement battle
Mainz's clash with St. Pauli ended in a 0-0 draw at the MEWA Arena in the final matchday before the winter break, with both sides lacking the cutting edge to secure all three points.
Two sides desperately seeking points to climb away from the relegation zone had to settle for one point apiece on Sunday afternoon. Both Mainz and Pauli came into the match with recent glimmers of hope - Mainz having earned a respectable 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich last weekend, while Pauli had just ended their own 10-match winless run with a victory against Heidenheim.
The 05ers welcomed back several key players from suspension, with Dominik Kohr, Paul Nebel, and Nadiem Amiri all returning to the starting lineup, while the visitors were without suspended Eric Smith and the injured Martijn Kaars, who had scored both goals in their recent win.
First-half stalemate
The visitors started the brighter of the two teams, winning four corner kicks in quick succession within the opening 10 minutes, though without creating any meaningful chances.
The match quickly developed into a cagey affair with both sides well aware of the stakes. The first significant opportunity fell to the visitors in the 36th minute when Jackson Irvine tested Daniel Batz from inside the area, but the Mainz goalkeeper was equal to his effort.
The hosts gradually grew into the game, with Nebel and Amiri both seeing shots blocked as the teams went into the break deadlocked at 0-0.
Widmer goes close
Urs Fischer's men emerged from half-time with renewed purpose and had the first decent chance of the half when when Kohr header a corner from Amiri over the bar.
The hosts began to dominate possession, with Silvan Widmer proving particularly dangerous. The Swiss international twice got on the end of crosses from Danny da Costa at the far post, but was unable to direct them past Nikola Vasilj.
Pauli threatened on the counter on occasion, but were unable to capitalise on getting into some good positions. In the closing stages, Mainz substitute Armindo Sieb forced a save from Vasilj, but neither side could find a breakthrough.
Man of the Match: Nadiem Amiri
Despite the absence of goals, Amiri stood out as the most influential player on the pitch. The Mainz captain was at the heart of his team's best attacking moves, delivering dangerous set-pieces and showing excellent composure under pressure.
His corner kick in the 47th minute created a golden opportunity for Kohr, while his distribution kept Mainz on the front foot for much of the second half. The statistics backed up his impressive display, with Amiri handling 25 instances of opposition pressure - more than any other player in the match - and also registering the highest pass efficiency among his teammates.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Mainz 0.91 - St. Pauli 0.28
Fastest player: Ricky-Jade Jones (St. Pauli), 34.95 km/h
Most pressed player: Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), 25 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Dominik Kohr (Mainz), 2.81
Fantasy Heroes: Andreas Hanche-Olsen (Mainz, 273 Points), Silvan Widmer (Mainz, 200 Points), Adam Dźwigała (St. Pauli, 267 Points)
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