Sergio Pinto Strike Gives Hannover 96 Win Over Mainz 05

Mainz 05 0 - Hannover 96 (Pinto 44’) 1

Mainz 05 continued their terrible run of form with a 1-0 loss against a resurgent Hannover 96 at the Stadion am Bruchweg. Thomas Tuchel’s side lost their third league game in succession, and have only scored once in the Bundesliga since Hamburg SV ended their perfect start in mid-October. The hosts started on the back foot, and though they saw more of the ball Hannover were more effective in possession for the first half-hour. Mainz began to take command in the final twenty minutes of the opening half, as Lewis Holtby and Andreas Ivanschitz came into the game. However, it was the visitors who took the lead just before half-time, as Sergio Pinto pounced on a poorly cleared corner and hammered his shot in from twenty-five yards.

Tuchel replaced Lewis Holtby with Andre Schürrle at halftime, but despite the change Mainz were not able to create good chances for Ivanschitz and Adam Szalai. The match was fairly even for the early part of the first half, and though Mainz continued to control more of the possession, they were not effective with the ball. Despite this, the hosts were given a potential lifeline with twenty minutes to go as Hannover’s captain Steven Cherundolo was sent off for a foul on Schürrle. Mainz belatedly created some chances - Haruna Babangida wated two very good ones just minutes after the sending off, but couldn’t take advantage and Hannover claimed a deserved victory. The win moves die Roten up to fifth, while Mainz have fallen into thrid behind Bayer Leverkusen on goal difference.