Eighth placed Hamburg met ninth placed Mainz at the Volksparkstadion on Saturday afternoon, with both sides looking up rather than down as we reach the middle stages of the season.

Having narrowly avoided relegation last season, HSV had been resurgent so far in 2015-16, amassing 21 points from 14 games including 6 wins. By the winter break last season the team had scored just nine goals; heading into this game they had almost double with 17.

Mainz sat just a point behind their hosts ahead of this game with a similarly impressive six wins and a goal difference of zero. Both sides had lost just one of their last five meaning all was at stake here with the teams three and four points behind 4th place respectively.

Martin Schmidt's team definitely started the game looking more confident with the wide men Pablo De Blasis and Jairo Samperio running the channels well allowing Yoshinori Muto to operate freely in the middle.

Bruno Labbadia's team responded well and Nicolai Müller danced inside in the seventh minute, unleashing a low shot that seemed to be creeping in the far left corner. Loris Karius was equal to it though palming behind for a corner.

Lewis Holtby, thriving in a deeper role, was urged to shoot in the 10th minute as he found space 25 yards out. He obliged, but his effort was wide left as the home side began to find a groove.

Early strike for 05ers

Despite the early pressure from the Dinosaurs, Mainz took a 16th minute lead in bizarre fashion thanks to Jairo Samperio.

The Spaniard had a cross on the left side of the box blocked back to him and from the floor he produced an acrobatic effort that looped over Drobny into the far corner. A strange goal, but they all count!

HSV almost hit back as Matthias Ostrzolek charged down the left flank before whipping a low cross which Michael Gregoritsch collected and fired narrowly wide of the right post.

Bruno Labbadia looks on

Ilo Ilicevic, who almost left Hamburg at the end of last season, had a curled effort from the right side well blocked before a quick break from Muto was well snuffed out by the home defence.

Samperio pounced on a loose Holtby pass just after the half-hour mark and almost curled in a second goal as the hosts continued to look shaky at the back.

Gregoritsch really should have made it 1-0 as he was found in yard of space on the penalty spot with 10 minutes left in the first half. Somehow, he slipped and crashed his effort over much to the depair of the home faithful.

Pierre Bengtsson produced a good low shot from the left that tested Droby, but the HSV stopper was equal to the effort and he tipped behind.

Julian Baumgartlinger picked up a yellow card for a very rough challenge on Gideon Jung in the last real action of the first half.

Not the first 45 minutes Bruno Labbadia wanted, but Schmidt looked to have been very pleased at the execution of the gameplan from Mainz. Still, the chances were there for the home side and surely one would fall in the second half if they continued with the right intensity.

A perfect start

Five minutes into the second half and Mainz had doubled their lead thanks to a second goal from Jairo Samperio.

A hopeful ball from Baumgartlinger wasn't cleared by Sakai, and the ball was fed by Yunus Malli to Samperio on the right side of the box. The winger struck a low shot from a narrow angle past the wrong-footed Drobny to make it 2-0 to the 05ers.

Hamburg were forced into a double change as the isolated Sven Schipplock made way for Ivica Olic and Marcelo Diaz came on for Jung.

Holtby had a shot whizz narrowly wide on the hour mark which got the Volkspark crowd going again, but they needed a goal quickly.

Gregoritsch had space on the edge of the box to bring his team back into it, and while he forced Karius into his eighth save of the game it was one of the easiest.

Mainz could have sealed the three points with 20 minutes left as Muto had time to pick a spot in the area, though his attempt was blocked for a corner.

The game was sealed however with 15 minutes left thanks to substitute Christian Clemens, made by Jairo.

Samperio played a lovely ball through to the winger who evaded the offside flags and kept his composure through on goal, beating Drobny at the near post and killing the game at 3-0.

Max Beister replaced Jairo Sampiero, denying his chance of a hat-trick. Beister of course was a Hamburg player, so it added an interesting twist to the last few minutes.

HSV did get a goal back with moments left in the game as Johan Djourou met a cross from Holtby after a short corner, heading in but it was too little too late.

A disappointing performance from Hamburg who never really got into gear and looked awful at the back, but credit must go to Mainz who were expert in their attacking play and made life very difficult.

The win saw the 05ers leapfrog the Dinosaurs and move into seventh place with a seventh win of the season.

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