Filip Kostic strike rescues battling Stuttgart against Mainz

Filip Kostic netted a 73rd-minute equaliser as bottom-of-the-Bundesliga Stuttgart held Mainz 05 to a 1-1 draw at the Coface Arena tonight.

It took the best part of 30 minutes for either side to fashion a goalscoring opportunity, as Mainz forward Sami Allagui embarked on a weaving run before his bid to open the scoring was rebuffed by Sven Ulreich.

It proved a sign of things to come, however, as the hosts moved ahead on 37 minutes through Johannes Geis, who gave Kasper Hjulmand's side a half-time lead.

The visitors progressively grew into the game throughout the second half and levelled things up with 17 minutes remaining.

Kostic latched on to Alexandru Maxim's clever ball before finding the bottom left-hand corner from just outside the box.

It was the 22-year-old's first Bundesliga goal, but Kostic almost doubled his tally and snatched the points in the closing stages by driving a fierce shot just wide of the post.