1. FSV Mainz and FC Bayern Munich met at the Coface Arena for both sides final match in the 'Hinrunde' of the 2014/15 season before the Winter Break. In the same fixture last season, the Bavarians ran out 2-0 victors; Bastian Schwinsteiger and Mario Götze with the goals.
Kasper Hjulmand's side have been in poor form as of late, picking up only three points from their last five games, which includes a 4-1 mauling away at Gelsenkirchen. With this in mind, Hjulmand who replaced Thomas Tuchel in the summer, made numerous changes to the side that drew with Köln last time out. In came, Philipp Wollscheid, Koo Ja-Cheol, Pablo de Blasis and Elkin Soto for Stefan Bell, Sami Allagui, Jairo and Júnior Diaz.
For Bayern Munich and Pep Guardiola it has been same old, same old. The self-proclaimed "Deutscher Rekordmeister" sit atop of the Bundesliga, without a defeat to their name. The Bavarian giants are currently on a seven match winning run, and are eleven points clear of their nearest rivals, VfL Wolfsburg. Without Mehdi Benatia, Xabi Alonso and Robert Lewandowski amongst others, Guardiola made three changes to the side that defeated SC Freiburg at the Allianz last Tuesday. Out went Benatia, Lewandowski and Alonso who were replaced by Jerome Boateng, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Pierre Højbjerg.
It was a lively start, and the majority of the Coface Arena was on its feet only four minutes in, albeit momentarily. Daniel Brosinski played the ball across the face of the box and the depthest of touches from Pablo de Blasis guided the ball past Manuel Neuer. As the Argentine wheeled away celebrating up went the linesman flag, further replays showed that de Blasis was infact offside.
It was a great start for Mainz, they were resticting Bayern's creative players and not allowing them any space. Die Nullfünfer were also getting forward well, drawing numerous fouls from the Bayern defence and it would get even better in the 20th minute.
A typical Mainz move resulted in de Blasis having the run of the right flank. The Argentine squared the ball across the box, just as Brosinski had, but this time the flag stayed down as Elwin Soto nutmegged Neuer at his far post. You could certainly say the Ballon d'or nominee wasn't impressed with his efforts, but the Coface Arena faithful didn't care!
The hosts jubilance didn't last long though as moments later Bastian Schweinsteiger took a costless-kick of the highest calibre to level the scores. The World Cup winner simply placed the ball over the Mainz wall into the top left corner, giving Loris Karius no chance. The visitors had been behind for less than four minutes.
This didn't sway Mainz and they continued how they had before the goal, infact Die Nullfünfer could have retaken the lead in the 40th minute through Yunus Mallı, but this time Neuer did well and denied the Mainz attacker.
The second half began in the same fashion as the first had ended, Mainz were defending well and frustrating Bayern. They even had another chance to retake the lead, but once again Mallı was denied by Neuer; who had in all truth be told kept his side in the game on two occasions.
But write Bayern off at your peril. The longer it went on the more likely Bayern looked to get a winner, and the more content Mainz looked with a point. There was some desperate defending and some equally good defending. Pierre Højbjerg went close, but some great defending denied the Danish international.
Bayern wore down Mainz and on the stroke of the 90th minute they'd finally make the breakthrough, in heartbreaking terms from Kasper Hjulmand and Die Nullfünfer. A surging run from deep by Franck Ribery pioneered the Bayern attack, the Frenchman found Juan Bernat who squared for an un-marked Arjen Robben who coolly slotted past Karius. There was definitely no way back for Mainz.
The result see's Bayern extend their lead at the top of the table to 14 points, ahead of the rest of Matchday 17. The Bavarian giants will be travelling to Doha for their winter training camp, joined by Roberto Di Matteo and Schalke 04. For Mainz, it will be a bitterly disappointing end to 2014, the remain in 11th ahead of this weekends other matches. Die Nullfünfer are off to Marbella for their Winter get away. When they return, Mainz will face SC Paderborn at the Coface Arena, whilst Bayern are up against VfL Wolfsburg in Lower Saxony.