Mainz 1-1 Hamburg: Points shared in relegation battle

FSV Mainz were forced to share the points after drawing 1-1 against relegation rivals Hamburg at the Mewa Arena.

Nadiem Amiri continued his red hot form with the opener for Mainz after 43 minutes which was cancelled out by Fabio Vieira’s deflected free-kick 20 minutes into the second half.

That draw leaves Mainz just three points clear of danger, as Hamburg stretched to the gap to seven points above Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga relegation play-off place.

Daniel Batz was the busier of the two goalkeepers in the opening stages when he was called upon twice to repel stinging efforts from Fabio Vieira and Warmed Omari.

Hamburg continued to carry the greater attacking threat, but Paul Glatzel saw his finish beaten away by Batz, after striking straight at the Mainz shot-stopper.

Mainz picked up the pace after a sluggish start and drew first blood when Amiri swept home just two minutes before the interval.

The hosts patiently worked the ball on the right channel when Danny da Costa received in space. He slotted a precise cross into the path of Amiri who struck a fine first-time finish via the post.

Amiri moved on to 15 goals for the campaign – including seven in his last nine appearances in all competitions.

Silas had been walking a disciplinary tightrope following his early booking and was replaced by Sheraldo Becker at the break.

Nicolas Capaldo came within a whisker of getting Hamburg back on level terms when his scooped attempt whistled inches wide of Batz’s right-hand post.

Phillip Tietz passed up a glorious chance at the other end when he touched an excellent cross from Becker on the stretch.

It would be a chance he would be left to rue when Vieira restored parity, after his free-kick took a heavy deflection to deceive Batz and nestle into the bottom corner.

Becker came agonisingly close to snatching a winner for Mainz at the death when he volleyed fractionally wide with Daniel Fernandes beaten.

Kacper Potulski’s header was comfortably tipped over by Fernandes in stoppage time, but Mainz were forced to settle for a point.