Survival in the Bundesliga for SC Paderborn 07 now looks unlikely after only being able to draw 1-1 at home to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
Robert Skov handed the visitors the lead when he converted home a Pavel Kaderabek cutback inside only four minutes.
However the lead only lasted five minutes when Dennis Srbeny managed to capitalise on to a Ermin Bicakcic mistake to level up the scores.
For the remainder of the game, it was Hoffenheim that had more chances to grab a winner, but the hosts did have opportunities themselves to earn a much needed three points, the best coming in the 35th minute when they rattled the crossbar.
Lively Start
The away side started brightly and their early pressure paid off when Skov slotted past Leopold Zingerle after meeting a Kaderabek pull back from the right hand side.
Although just before the tenth minute mark, Paderborn got an equaliser when Bicakcic played a loose pass just outside of his penalty area which Srbeny managed to intercep,t and it was a chance that he was not going to let slip as he curled the ball first time past Oliver Baumann.
Hoffenheim start dominating
On the 20th minute mark Alfred Schreuder's side were close to regaining the lead when a long ball found Skov, who then lifted the ball over Zingerle but left back Jamilu Collins was able to get back and clear the ball off the line.
Eight minutes later Christoph Baumgartner wasted an opportunity for the away side when he was found by Kaderabek inside the area, but his low shot was tame and straight at Zingerle.
As Hoffeneheim were starting to dominate the game, they created another opportunity when Stefan Posch struck the side netting from his long range strike on the 33th minute.
However when it looked like the away side were going to take the lead, the hosts went so close to going in front themselves, when a Gerrit Holtmann cross from the left was helped on to the crossbar by Hoffenheim midfielder Sebastian Rudy.
Improvement For Paderborn
Three minutes after the restart, Kai Proger could of got his team a second but he dragged his shot wide when he beared down on goal for the hosts.
On the 57th minute, Florian Grillitsch failed to finish off a flowing move for Hoffenheim as his effort inside the box was deflected just off target.
On the hour mark, Uwe Hunemeier headed just wide of the left hand post after meeting a Proger free kick from the left as Paderborn were beginning to grab a hold of the encounter.
Steffen Baumer's side then went inches away from going ahead a few minutes past the 70th minute mark when a Collins cross from the left just evaded Christopher Antwi- Adjei who was arriving at the near post.
A minute later Zingerle produced a good save to keep out substitute Munes Dabbur low effort from the left.
Then with only three minutes remaining, Dabbur should have stole all three points for Hoffenheim, when a Kaderábek cross from the right found the forward unmarked inside the area, but somehow he glanced his header wide of the left hand post.
What this means for both sides
The result means that there is a slim chance of Paderborn achieving survival in the Bundesliga as with seven league games left, they are five points away from moving out of the automatic relegation zone and a further nine points from drifting out of the relegation play- offs.
On the other hand, Hoffenheim remain in ninth place but they are now only three points behind the Europa League spots - giving them a decent chance of achieving European football next season.