Getting their name on the scoresheet in all 21 of their home league matches under Sebastian Hoeneß’s stewardship, Stuttgart flew out of the blocks as Deniz Undav and Atakan Karazor both forced stunning saves from Zentner within the first four minutes.
However, the shot-stopper was helpless to prevent the hosts from taking the lead in the eighth minute as midfield maestro Enzo Millot converted a close-range rebound after Chris Führich’s shot had fortuitously been palmed straight into his feet by Zentner.
Things went from bad to worse for the visitors just seven minutes later, with new Stuttgart number one Alexander Nübel registering an assist as Jamie Leweling unleashed a rocket into the back of the net to give one of the Bundesliga’s 2024/25 UEFA Champions League representatives a two-goal cushion.
Nübel, on loan from Bayern Munich for the season, was eventually called into action twice in 60 seconds. First, Jonathan Burkardt was denied by a fine save before Nadiem Amiri’s ambitious effort from a distance, via a deflection, was acrobatically redirected over the crossbar.
However, Mainz were handed a lifeline back into the game close to the stroke of HT as Millot’s clumsy foul on Burkardt allowed Amiri to confidently reduce the arrears in front of goal from the penalty spot.
On the losing side in just two of their previous 17 Bundesliga matches (W12, D3, L2) prior to kick-off, Stuttgart came close to restoring their two-goal lead not long after the restart as firstly, Millot’s effort was well saved at his near post before Zentner then beat away Leweling’s thunderbolt of a strike.
Nonetheless, against the run of play in the second half, Mainz mustered a well-worked equaliser in the 62nd minute as Andreas Hanche-Olsen crossed for the fast-arriving Burkardt to head home past Nübel.
Mainz’s Man of the Match Zentner again denied Leweling not long after Burkardt’s equaliser with another expert save as the latter had a goal ruled out for offside down the other end.
With it looking like Mainz would return to the dressing room with a deserved point, Zentner was left with his head in his hands as Fabian Rieder’s free-kick flew into the far corner of the net.
However, not long after the Swiss international had struck the woodwork, HT alteration Leitsch salvaged a dramatic point for the visitors with a clinical close-range diving header.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Robin Zentner (FSV Mainz 05)
