0-0! No goals between Mainz and HSV

A tough battle ended goalless between Mainz and HSV at the sold out Coface Arena on Bundesliga matchday 32 on Saturday afternoon.

The Rothosen followed up their crucial 2-1 derby win at home to Werder Bremen last Friday night by drawing 0-0 away to Mainz at the jam packed Coface Arena in Mainz on Saturday afternoon (30.04.16).

The visitors defended well during the opening half while the home side pressed high up the field. Both sides had a single decent chance in the first half. First the hosts threatened as Hamburg shot stopper Jaroslav
Drobny kept out a fierce effort by Karim Onisiwo (32.). Seven minutes later Hamburg striker Sven Schipplock lost out in a one on one situation with home keeper Loris Karius. Cordoba then missed the best chance of the game, but the 0-0 result was about right on the balance of play.

Brave despite key omissions
After the dramatic 2-1 derby win at home to Werder Bremen last Friday night, Hamburg head coach Bruno Labbadia had a lot of thinking to do regarding team selection for the trip to Mainz. The former striker was without the services of joint top scorers (both 8 goals) Nicolai Müller (torn hamstring) and Pierre Michel Lasogga (suspended). The latter scored twice in the 2-1 win over Bremen. Also ruled out were Michael Gregoritsch (suspended) and Albin Ekdal (thigh strain). As if to add insult to injury, keeper Rene Adler picked up a bruised hip during the final pre-match training session and had to be replaced by Drobny, who kept goal against Bremen. Bruno Labbadia said before the game: “ We have to accept the situation which offers others a chance to shine. The team must compensate our losses."

Nabil Bahoui, (behind Donati) made his first
 start for the Rothosen. 

Nabil Bahoui made his first start for Hamburg on the right, while Aaron Hunt returned to play behind the sole striker who was Sven Schipplock. Despite all of those changes, the visitors made a bright side against the side hoping to qualify for Europe next term. The capacity crowd of 34,000 (including 3,000 travelling faithful from Hamburg) saw a tough battle early on. Before kick off, Mainz had netted 7 times during the opening quarter of an hour, but not this time. The home side tackled well but Mainz had a shot ratio of 4:0 in the opening half an hour. Hamburg keeper Drobny was called into action on 32 minutes as he parried a fierce effort from Onisiwo to the side. At the other end, HSV struggled and in fact their only half chance of the opening half came as captain Djourou tested Karius with a header which resulted in a corner which brought nothing (36.). The first half ended goalless. 
 
Sven Schipplock squandered HSV’s best chance 
to break the deadlock. 

Missed sitters by both sides
Goalmouth action remained a rarity after the break. The home side tried to pen HSV in their own half but their key passes lacked accuracy. Schipplock pounced on one of them on 51 minutes as he cleverly stole the ball off Bungert and advanced unchallenged one on one against the keeper who produced a superb block to deny the former Hoffenheim hit man. That remained the best Hamburg chance for a long time. It became clear that whoever opened the scoring would probably win the game. The pendulum swung both ways on many occasions, but not in a particularly dangerous way.

Wolves at home up next
HSV had a decent period of possession which was followed by the same by Mainz. The teams were so evenly matched, although Drobny made two crucial saves to deny Frei (79.) and Latza (80.). Seven minutes later however, the Czech-veteran was powerless as Mainz combined through Clemens and Cordoba, the latter somehow blazed the ball well wide of goal while handily placed. The game ended in a 0-0 draw. The minimum HSV needed with only two games to go. Matchday 33 sees the Rothsoen entertain VfL Wolfsburg at the Volksparkstadion. The Wolves will have a point to prove after being hammered 5-1 in Dortmund on matchday 32.

Match details:
1. FSV Mainz 05: Karius - Brosinski, Bungert, Bell, Donati - Frei, Serdar (60. Latza) - Onisiwo, De Blasis (69. Malli), Jairo (87. Clemens) - Cordoba
HSV: Drobny - Sakai, Djourou, Spahic, Ostrzolek - Holtby, Kacar - Bahoui (76. Diekmeier), Hunt, Ilicevic (88. Cleber) - Schipplock (69. Rudnevs)
Goals: -

Att: 34.000 (sold out)
Referee: Guido Winkmann (Kerken)
Booked: - / Spahic (22.), Bahoui (61.), Kacar (63.)

CREDIT TO:http://www.hsv.de/en/season/meldungen/bundesliga/april-2014/0-0-no-goals-between-mainz-and-hsv/