VfB battle back to draw

After a goal-less first half, Mainz took a 2-0 lead against VfB in their final home game of the season before Christian Gross' men battled their way back into the game and eventually drew level thanks to a brace from Ciprian Marica.

VfB, who started with an unchanged first eleven compared to the side which won 2-0 away to Bochum last weekend, made a determined and high-tempo start against a defensively solid Mainz 05 side. The visitors had their first chance on goal after 20 minutes as Andre Schürrle brought a fantastic save from Jens Lehmann in his final home game as a VfB player before he hangs up his boots. Shortly after, Eugen Polanski drove a shot just wide of the Stuttgart goal. By mid-way through the first half, VfB had problems testing the Mainz defence and  were unable to threaten the visitors until the 35th minute. Hilbert sent Molinaro down the left but the Italians attempted cross was blocked away. Mainz were easily able to deal with the best efforts of Cacau & Co. and at the sides went into the break goal-less.

Shock for VfB

It was the visitors that made the better start to the second period and stunned the hosts in the 52nd minute. Former VfB man Jan Simak broke down the right and crossed to the centre for Malik Fathi to back heel the ball over the line. In the 63rd minute, referee Felix Zwayer failed to spot a foul on Cacau and, on the break, Schürrle chipped Jens Lehmann and then beat Christian Träsch to the ball to make it 2-0 for his side.
VfB refused to throw in the towel tough and got back into the game as Niko Bungert played the ball between his own goalkeepers legs and Ciprian Marica reacted quickest to drive the ball home. Just two minutes later, Cacau picked out his strike partner with a square ball, which Marica touched home to make it 2-2.

With the draw, VfB remain in sixth spot in the table but still have HSV close behind them and Gross' men can't afford any slips in the final game of the campaign next Saturday.

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