Mainz 05 travelled to Nuremberg knowing that a win would move them into fifth place in the Bundesliga but ended up being beaten 2-1.
They controlled much of the first half, but a penalty miss from Adam Szalai meant that the teams went in level at the break.
In the second half, Per Nilsson headed the hosts into the lead, but Mainz quickly equalised through a sublime Nicolai Muller lob.
However, Nuremberg again scored from a set piece, with Hiroshi Kiyotake finding Nilsson again, who scored with a shot at the far post from a corner.
Read below how the action unfolded.
Hello everyone and thanks for joining me for the first game in our Bundesliga double-header - Nuremberg vs. Mainz 05.
Mainz arguably have more to play for this afternoon. They know that after the results yesterday a win would move them into fifth on goal-difference in what is a very congested part of the Bundesliga.
First things first, however, so let's get straight to the team news that we now have for you.
NUREMBERG XI: Schafer; Balitsch, Nilsson, Klose, Pinola; Simons, Chandler; Kiyotake, Feulner, Esswein; Pekhart
MAINZ XI: Wetklo; Pospech, Svensson, Noveski, Junior Diaz; Baumgartlinger, Zimling, Soto; Kirchhoff, Muller; Szalai
Even though Mainz can move into the Europa League places with a win, it's far from a dead-rubber for Nuremberg. They can go a point behind their visitors, which would then move them into contention for continental qualification.
They have Tamas Pekhart as the lone striker today, as is quite usually the case. However, the Czech has been less than prolific with just three goals to his name. Indeed they aren't known for goals and have one of the lowest-scoring attacks in the league. They do have the fifth-best defence, though, with just 34 goals conceded.
Two places above them on that list, however, are Mainz. Only champions Bayern Munich have conceded fewer (13) than Mainz's 30, but they are so far ahead that they can only be classed as an anomaly on the list.
Mainz are 10th on the scoring charts with 34. They aren't free-scoring by any means but they do have the very prolific Adam Szalai up front, who tops their charts with 13 in the league. He could well be the only difference in what might be a low-scoring encounter.
Andreas Ivanschitz, who has been excellent all season, is only on the Mainz bench. He's not a half-bad guy to bring on if you need to inject some creativity, especially against a stubborn defence such as Nuremberg's.
As you might expect, there's very little to choose between the teams according to the bookmakers. This is not an easy game to bet on. The hosts are the slight favourites at around 7/5, while Mainz can be backed at a little further back - 12/5. A draw will be about 2/1.
As for me? I think Mainz will scrape it. Maybe 1-0. Here's hoping that the teams give up defending for a day though!
We're off! Nuremberg kick us off.
CHANCE! Early chance for Szalai as he's surprisingly let free on the left side of the box and shoots at the near post, but Raphel Schafer puts it wide of his post.
The atmosphere up and down the Bundesliga really is excellent. The Nuremberg fans are in exceptional voice early on, as their team now enjoy a spell of possession to get themselves into the game.
Pekhart goes down a little easily for my liking from a long Hanno Balitsch throw, but nothing given. His chest control was heavy and he wanted to make the most of it. Timothy Chandler heads at goal from an Alexander Esswein cross, but it's straight down Wetklo's throat.
Mainz have seen most of the ball in the early stages. They're passing patiently around the back, before looking for quick balls over the top as they get into the hosts' half. A couple of times early on they've been in behind, but still just the one real early chance.
The game has got a little bit scrappy in the last few minutes. Mainz are pressing a bit more and Nuremberg were struggling just a little to keep hold of the ball. It's been mostly in the home half, being sprayed among the Nuremberg defence as they look to get a handle on the game.
Javier Pinola gets a telling off from the referee for an over exuberant trip on Nicolai Muller after Esswein's pass left him with a lot of work to do. Now Mainz have a spell of patient passing between defence and midfield.
Esswein stays on his feet after a tussle with Muller. I thought he could have gone down for a free kick but the referee gave him no help whatsoever. At the other end a Szalai effort from outside the box is blocked, before he takes it out of play for a home throw. Nuremberg are still struggling to keep the ball.
Noveski gets Junio Diaz in trouble with a terrible pass in his own box. They eventually escape with a defensive throw, however. Another one slightly further up the pitch clears the danger and Mainz can build from the back.
After the early promise of that Szalai chance, there has been a real lack of penetration from both midfields. Mainz are probably slightly the better side, but in truth neither is showing a lot of promise.
Nuremberg are enjoying a spell of possession in the last few moments. Markus Feulner tries to work his way into the Mainz box, but the defence is strong and the hosts have to start again from the back.
Muller robs Pinola to get Mainz on the ball. Nicolai Muller is set through with a fine pass in midfield from Kirchoff. He tries to round Schafer and perhaps could have gone down with a slight touch but in the end the hosts manage to clear.
An excellent passing move from Nuremberg ends with an awful pass from Balitsch. A real waste there as they were flooding forward in numbers, but he couldn't find a teammate. Mainz try to break but Simons ends it with a tactical foul.
SAVE! Soto finds Szalai outside the box. He fires towards goal with the outside of his foot but Schafer makes a save for the cameras to tip it round the post. It didn't quite have the direction he needed on the shot.
PENALTY TO MAINZ! Great passing between Kiyotake and Chandler, but Mainz win it back - Szalai goes over the top to Muller and he's brought down by Pinola.
MISSED! Awful, terrible penalty from Szalai! He puts it wide of the left-hand post! Unbelievable miss and he didn't even clip the post.
Incidentally, there was no red card and I don't even think a yellow for Pinola when he hauled Muller down after rounding Schafer. He was put slightly wide, perhaps, but he was about to pull the trigger. We're still waiting for a goal.
It would have been a deserved lead for Mainz and they surely won't get a better chance than a penalty. Pinola's crazy decision to give away the foul has paid off for his side. Mainz are right back on the ball after the miss - Nuremberg aren't even closing down.
It's still a real struggle for Nuremberg to get in the game. They're hardly stringing together any passes, let alone fashioning chances to test Wetklo. Esswein is brought down on the left by Baumgartlinger, but no booking.
Kiyotake swings in the free kick deep. It's headed away before Esswein weaves and turns to cross, which is also headed away before Kiyotake's diagonal ball towards Balitsch is too long and goes out of play.
Baumgartlinger rides a couple of challenges to lay it wide to Pospech, but his cross is out of play and Nuremberg survive without having to defend what looked a dangerous position. Can they finally work something though? Esswein almost dinked it through to Kiyotake with a cushioned volley, but Svensson gets it away. They've seen more of the ball in the last five minutes, have Nuremberg.
Another free kick is comfortably defended by Mainz, who are now passing a little desperately. That said, Schafer's pass to Balitsch goes out of play in a good position for a Mainz throw. They pass it back in order to work some possession. It leads to nothing before a Nuremberg move also breaks down - a scrappy spell, this.
With five minutes to play in the half it doesn't look likely that we'll see a goal before half time. Mainz have got back on top just about, but are finding chances hard to come by.
CHANCE! Best of the game from Nuremberg. Pekhart is played in the box, and he pulls across to Kiyotake but he scuffed his effort and it went tamely to Wetklo.
There have been a few niggly fouls in the last few minutes as we head towards the break. Baumgartlinger the latest to be brought down, but Mainz cannot work a chance from the free kick and it's a goal kick.
Zimling breaks through and tries to find Szalai but it's cleared. Only as far as Soto who cuts across the edge of the box to Zimling, who shoots this time but it's blocked. Mainz finishing the half strongly.
HALF-TIME: Nuremberg 0-0 Mainz
Although Mainz haven't been fantastic, Nuremberg have got away with it in that half. A terrible penalty from Szalai was the best chance, but Mainz have seen a lot more of the ball.
The other best chance of the game came in the opening minute. It was Szalai again, who this time was played through down the left. He went for the near post and it was a good, if comfortable, save from Schafer to push it wide.
Mainz might be tempted to introduce Ivanschitz at the break. Although they've been the better side, they still lack the key to unlick Nuremberg which the Austrian might well hold.
The players will be coming back out soon and if it's the same story as the first half then I think Mainz will just about edge the win. Nuremberg simply have to improve.
The players are coming back out now, so the second half is about to get back underway.
here we go then. Mainz kick off the second half, will we see a goal?
An early couple of chances for the hosts. Pospech cuts it across to Soto, who slices a shot into the path of Zimling, who also slices! His effort is wide and the chance has gone.
A Chandler cross from a good position on the byline is overhit and with it goes the chance for Nuremberg. Pekhart is huffing and puffing but he's struggling along up front today. It already looks as though the second half is following the same pattern as the first.
Pekhart is dropping deep to try to get involved. He gets back into the box and goes down when a cross comes in, but nothing is given. It would have been a soft penalty, on first glance.
Mainz attack with Szalai down the right who was found by Zimling. They link up again but Tim Klose blocks the cross for a corner. It's whipped in by Zimling, comes back to him and then he crosses into the arms of Schafer. They're still on top, Mainz.
GOAL! Nuremberg 1-0 Mainz (Per Nilsson)
Isn't that always the case? Mainz don't take their chances and then find themselves behind. This time Niyotake gets a free kick delivery bang on, which allows Nilsson to glance a header into the net.
It's harsh on Mainz, but they only have themselves to blame really. It was a super leap and header from Nilsson and now Mainz have work to do to get back in it. Pekhart goes down in a similar position to where the free kick for the goal was.
BOOKING: Balitsch goes into the the book for dissent, following Chandler's pull back on Diaz as he tried to break.
SAVE! Mainz are right back into their possession game since the goal, but now Nuremberg have something to hang on to I suspect it will be even harder for them to break through. Instead the hosts break through Feulner and Esswein, with the former stinging the fingers of Wetklo, who tips his drive over.
GOAL! Nuremberg 1-1 Mainz (Nicolai Muller)
What a superb goal that is! Muller is played through by Kirchhoff and loops it over Schafer with a first-time lob. Sublime finish.
It's really come to life in this half. I'd say Mainz are still the better side, seeing more of the ball, and now they've got back level so quickly they might well go on to grab the winner.
Mainz's passing has just gone off the boil a little in the last few minutes. They're still seeing more of the ball, but since the goals it's slowed down a lot. Are both sides happy with the draw? I wouldn't have thought so.
GOAL! Nuremberg 2-1 Mainz (Per Nilsson)
The centre-back has two! They've only threatened from set pieces have Nuremberg but now they've scored twice from them. Kiyotake swings in a corner right to the six-yard box and Nilsson pokes out a foot at the far post and puts it into the roof of the net.
MAINZ SUB: Straight after the goal, Mainz replace Soto with Maxim Choupo Moting.
The delivery from Kiyotake from that corner was absolutely incredible. It was right on the edge of the six-yard box, swinging in and really any of the Nuremberg attackers or Mainz defenders might have stuck it in. Can Mainz respond a second time?
Nuremberg are now on top of this one. The action since the goal has been in the Mainz half and they're suddenly passing much more comfortably, the hosts.
They're trying to slow the game right down now, Nuremberg. They are taking their time over free kicks, passing it around in the corners and just trying to take the sting out of Mainz's attack with time on their side.
Mainz look almost to have run out of ideas now. They probably, and rightly, feel slightly hard done by, but the truth is that they've had chances but haven't taken them before Nuremberg came into the game.
MAINZ SUB: Double change for Mainz. Ivanschitz comes on for the excellent Kirschhoff and Zimling makes way for Chinedu Ede.
NUREMBERG SUB: Kiyotake makes way, but not for a defensive player. It's Mike Frantz who comes on.
Mainz are back on top of this now - it'll probably be desperate stuff now from Nuremberg as they try to hang on. Mainz win a corner.
From it, Frantz breaks but slips as he passes and Mainz win the ball back. However, Simons wins it back, Pinola looks long for Frantz and it's a throw in the attacking third for the hosts.
BOOKING: Baumgartlinger gets a yellow card for jumping unfairly. That'll serve only to run the clock down a little more.
NUREMBERG SUB: Pekhart, who has struggled in truth, comes off to be replaced by Sebastian Polter.
BOOKING: Polter's first act is to clatter late into Diaz from behind and pick up a yellow card.
Just two minutes off added time are announced, as Feuler goes in horribly with two feet but escapes without a booking.
Baumgartlinger goes down under an Esswein challenge, as Nuremberg make their final change. It is Esswein who comes off for Dabanli.
FULL-TIME: Nuremberg 2-1 Mainz
Thanks for joining me for this one. Head over to my other commentary right now. Until then!
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
