Danny da Costa nets late equaliser as Mainz hold VfB Stuttgart
Danny da Costa scored a last-gasp equaliser as Mainz earned a precious point at home to VfB Stuttgart, who had come from behind to lead late in the second half.
Mainz 2-2 VfB Stuttgart
Goals: 1-0 Lee 39’ (assist: da Costa), 1-1 Demirović 76’ (assist: Undav), 1-2 Undav 77’ (assist: Tomás), 2-2 da Costa 90’+1 (assist: Mwene)
Mainz have managed to pull themselves out of the bottom three under Urs Fischer but went into Saturday’s game without a win in their last three league matches, leaving them just a point above the relegation play-off spot and in need of another victory to give themselves a little more breathing space over the drop zone.
As for UEFA Champions League hopefuls Stuttgart, they travelled to the MEWA Arena with four wins from their last six games but only two points above fifth-placed RB Leipzig in the standings, with sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen also breathing down their necks in the hunt for a place in Europe's premier club competition next season.
The visitors dominated the opening exchanges, controlling possession and forcing three corners in the first eight minutes.
Maximilian Mittelstädt had the first significant chance when his effort from close range was brilliantly tipped over by Daniel Batz, but Mainz gradually grew into the game. The hosts thought they had opened the scoring when Phillip Tietz bundled home after Alexander Nübel had fumbled the ball under pressure from Silvan Widmer, only for the referee to blow for a foul.
The hosts continued to threaten, with Tietz seeing his point-blank header saved by Nübel on the half-hour mark, but Mainz's pressure finally told six minutes before half-time when Jae-sung Lee headed home from close range following da Costa's flick-on.
The second half initially followed a similar pattern, with Stuttgart enjoying more possession but Mainz creating the better chances.
Sheraldo Becker was denied by Nübel when clean through on goal in the 55th minute, and the hosts had two golden opportunities to extend their lead a little over ten minutes later. First, Tietz's shot was brilliantly blocked by Luca Jaquez after an error from Nübel, with Paul Nebel striking the post from the follow-up.
Those misses would prove costly as Stuttgart staged a remarkable comeback with a little over a quarter of an hour remaining. Ermedin Demirović equalised with a powerful low strike in the 76th minute, before Deniz Undav's cool finish from Tiago Tomás' pass putting the visitors ahead just 61 seconds later.
With time running out, Mainz pushed forward desperately in search of an equaliser and their persistence was rewarded in the first minute of stoppage time, when da Costa nodded home from the rebound after Phillipp Mwene's header had struck the crossbar.
The result leaves Mainz still looking nervously over their shoulders, while Stuttgart missed the chance to move clear of their rivals in the battle for Champions League qualification.
Man of the Match: Deniz Undav
The Stuttgart forward was at the heart of his team's remarkable second-half comeback, scoring what had appeared to be the winning goal and setting up Demirović's equaliser.
Undav showed remarkable composure to finish past Batz after being played through by Tomás, while his link-up play throughout was exemplary. With six goals since the winter break, Undav has firmly established himself as one of the Bundesliga's most in-form strikers.
His overall contribution to Stuttgart's attacking play, combined with his decisive impact in key moments, made him the game's standout performer - despite Mainz's late equaliser.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Mainz 2.83 - Stuttgart 1.08
Fastest player: Sheraldo Becker (Mainz), 34.56 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-2 by Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), 32.12 percent
Most pressed player: Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), 23 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), +4.08
Fantasy Heroes: Danny da Costa (Mainz, 391 Points), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart, 285 Points), Phillip Tietz (Mainz, 257 Points)
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