Young guns Adam Szalai and Lewis Holtby starred as Mainz made it seven wins from seven games, equalling the best ever start to a Bundesliga season. Only Bayern Munich in 1995-96 and Kaiserslautern in 2001-02 have achieved such a feat in the league's 47-year history.
Mainz are not normally known for their fast starts but they look the lead in the second minute. Lewis Holtby played through Adam Szalai who breached a woeful Hoffenheim offside trap. The Hungarian then committed Tom Starke and squared the ball to Sami Allagui, who rolled the ball into the empty net for his second goal in as many games.
Hoffenheim began to push for a goal as the interval approach and they were rewarded with the equaliser five minutes before the break. Luis Gustavo strode forward from midfield before finding Demba Ba with a perfectly weighted pass. The Senegalese striker shrugged off Nicolce Noveski before poking the ball home right-footed beyond Christian Wetklo.
Mainz began the second half as they did the first - with a goal. Holtby dinked the ball over the top for Adam Szalai who took the ball in his stride before slotting the ball home past Starke.
Lewis Holtby then orchestrated Mainz's third with a wonderful piece of skill 59 minutes. With a drop of the right shoulder, he ghosted between two defenders before coming inside. His cutback was inadvertently diverted past Starke by the unfortunate Luis Gustavo.
However, Hoffenheim refused to lie down and five minutes later they clawed a goal back. Gylfi Sigurdsson found the corner with a perfectly-placed free-kick that gave Christian Wetklo no chance. It was the Icelandic's second goal since his summer move from Reading.
Mainz then pulled away again when Josip Simunic was sent off for a professional foul after 72 minutes for hauling down the irrepressible Holtby in the box. After a two minute delay, Andre Schuerrle calmly stepped up and sent Tom Starke the wrong way to all but kill off the visitors.
Mainz remain top of the league ahead of the international break. They host Hamburg in a fortnight while Hoffenheim play Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Rhein-Neckar Arena.
Mainz are not normally known for their fast starts but they look the lead in the second minute. Lewis Holtby played through Adam Szalai who breached a woeful Hoffenheim offside trap. The Hungarian then committed Tom Starke and squared the ball to Sami Allagui, who rolled the ball into the empty net for his second goal in as many games.
Hoffenheim began to push for a goal as the interval approach and they were rewarded with the equaliser five minutes before the break. Luis Gustavo strode forward from midfield before finding Demba Ba with a perfectly weighted pass. The Senegalese striker shrugged off Nicolce Noveski before poking the ball home right-footed beyond Christian Wetklo.
Mainz began the second half as they did the first - with a goal. Holtby dinked the ball over the top for Adam Szalai who took the ball in his stride before slotting the ball home past Starke.
Lewis Holtby then orchestrated Mainz's third with a wonderful piece of skill 59 minutes. With a drop of the right shoulder, he ghosted between two defenders before coming inside. His cutback was inadvertently diverted past Starke by the unfortunate Luis Gustavo.
However, Hoffenheim refused to lie down and five minutes later they clawed a goal back. Gylfi Sigurdsson found the corner with a perfectly-placed free-kick that gave Christian Wetklo no chance. It was the Icelandic's second goal since his summer move from Reading.
Mainz then pulled away again when Josip Simunic was sent off for a professional foul after 72 minutes for hauling down the irrepressible Holtby in the box. After a two minute delay, Andre Schuerrle calmly stepped up and sent Tom Starke the wrong way to all but kill off the visitors.
Mainz remain top of the league ahead of the international break. They host Hamburg in a fortnight while Hoffenheim play Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Rhein-Neckar Arena.
Mainz 4-2 Hoffenheim: Holtby And Szalai Ensure A Magnificent Seventh Win For Mainz
![Mainz 4-2 Hoffenheim: Holtby And Szalai Ensure A Magnificent Seventh Win For Mainz]()
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