1. FSV Mainz 05
| 1-0 | Geis | (36. Min) |
VfB Stuttgart
| 1-1 | Kostic | (72. Min) |
Adam Hlousek
Stats 
Filip Kostic levels shortly after the re-start.
Point earned in Mainz
VfB played out a 1-1 (0-1) draw away to 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday evening. During the first half of the game, VfB were defensively extremely stable, but found themselves a goal down from a set-piece. After the re-start, the Cannstatt Boys took a more attacking approach and deservedly levelled the scores thanks to the very first Bundesliga goal for Filip Kostic.
Huub Stevens made a total of five changes to his starting eleven for the game in Mainz. Gotoku Sakai, Georg Niedermeier, Daniel Schwaab, Oriol Romeu and Daniel Ginczek were in from the start, replacing Antonio Rüdiger (meniscus injury) and Martin Harnik (neck problem), whilst Moritz Leitner, Carlos Gruezo and Sercan Sararer initially took places on the bench.
The VfB eleven began the away game in well organised manner, closing down the spaces in midfield when the opposition were in possession and making it very difficult for their hosts to spray the ball around sufficiently. Mainz’ Johannes Geis tried his luck with a drive from distance (19’), whilst Stefan Bell (23‘) and Sami Allagui (29‘) also went close, but the VfB goal was rarely in real danger. Up front, the Cannstatt Boys had their best opportunity from a set-piece, when Adam Hlousek swung the ball into the danger but failed to find a taker in the centre (7’). At the other end, it was a dead-ball situation that was to make the difference between the two sides, with Johannes Geis hammering a free-kick into the back of the VfB net, to make it 1-0 for the hosts on the stroke of half-time (45‘ + 1).
Christian Gentner: "Looking at how the game went, we can consider ourselves satisfied with the point."
Post match comments
Five minutes into the second period, VfB had their first really good chance to equalise. From a well worked move over three men, Daniel Ginczek got a shot away from 14 meters out, but Mainz keeper Loris Karius deflected the effort away with his shoulder (50‘). Huub Stevens then introduced Alexandru Maxim as an added attacking option (57‘), with the Cannstatt Boys looking to push further forward, although initially to little effect, with the hosts standing deep and waiting for the opportunity to his on the break. The visitors had their next chance from a set-piece, with Alexandru Maxim eventually going close from a corner (69.).
It wasn’t to take long though before the 3,500 travelling VfB fans had reason to celebrate. Substitute Filip Kostic drove into the opposition penalty area from the right and got a shot away, which was deflected away from the Mainz keeper and into the back of the net – 1-1 (72‘). Kosic had a further opportunity to put his side in front before the final whistle, but the sub’s shot trickled wide of the upright (86‘). There was a shock moment for the VfB fateful in the 88th minute, with captain Christian Gentner clearing off the goal-line, but in the end, Huub Stevens‘ men hung on to take a well-deserved point.
