Stuttgart's hopes of starting the new calendar year in supreme style were shattered as Mainz came from a goal down to beat the hosts 1-2 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

Stuttgart started brightly and took a promising lead on 11 minutes; Vedad Ibisevic's superbly-met header was saved by Mainz 'keeper Karius. However, Mohammed Abdellaoue was alert and on hand to put in the rebound. His first goal for Stuttgart since his summer arrival from Hannover. 

Stuttgart almost went two goals to the good as Martin Harnik put the ball past Karius - only for it to be ruled out for a foul in the box on Okazaki. It was the Japanese striker who then equalised; taking the ball round the goalkeeper before calmly finishing 5 minutes before half time. Okazaki's ninth goal this season in the Bundesliga this season; that's two more than what he managed during his whole Stuttgart tenure. 

Chances fell to both sides in a contest which seemed to go either way. Vedad Ibisevic for Stuttgart and Junior Diaz of Mainz both came close in the first 20 minutes of the second half with noticeable opportunities. 

Both teams pushed and in the end it were the away side who sensationally grabbed all three points on in the 87th minute. Joo-Ho Park's cross from the right flank was cleverly nodded home by substitute Benedikt Saller from a somewhat impossible angle. 

The away side hung on to the win and moved up to 8th in the league standings after FC Augsburg held BVB Dortmund to a 2-2 draw. Stuttgart are currently 11th, with a game in hand over Mainz, Hannover and Augsburg. Any hope of European football is fading for Stuttgart this term, and with Bayern Munich their next opponents on Wednesday evening, it doesn't get any easier. 

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