A harmless VfB Stuttgart lost important points in the fight against relegation from the Bundesliga with a zero number on the 30th matchday.

The team coached by Pellegrino Matarazzo was hardly able to create any chances in the game at FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday.

In front of 30,128 spectators, both opponents gave a very poor performance.

Since the next opponent and also threatened competitor Hertha BSC won in Augsburg, VfB slipped back to relegation place 16.

For their part, Mainz, without a win in three away games, missed the chance to mathematically make it clear that they would remain in the league ahead of time.

The Swabians desperately needed their second away win this season.

So they stuck further deep in the table cellar.

In the almost fully occupied and atmospheric stadium, both teams started at odds.

It was often high and far on both sides when it was time to go forward.

Of course, the Stuttgart team was looking for Sasa Kalajdzic, who played as a striker again after surviving the corona infection.

VfB set the first promising touch with a sharp cross from Tiago Tomás – but Kalajdzic poked the ball over the goal.

On the one hand the hosts, who are in safe areas in the table, on the other hand a relegation candidate with moderate self-confidence: That's how the game rippled along for a long time.

Many duels also ended with interruptions.

On the Mainz side, only goalscorer and U-21 international Jonathan Burkardt caught the eye, and he kept trying to move forward.

The more than 3000 fans in the VfB block held their breath for a moment when Orel Mangala found a gap in the opposing defense and shot from 14 meters.

However, Robin Zentner fended off the ball.

The FSV keeper can only point to eight goals in 15 home games this round.

Despite all the assurances from 05 coach Bo Svensson that he "didn't want to give anything away", his team lacked the final determination.

The Dane himself, who had to serve a yellow card suspension this season, overdid it a bit: After a throw-in decision, he protested wildly and was warned by referee Florian Badstübner shortly before the break.

Immediately after the restart, Tomás had the lead for Stuttgart on his feet - but the sovereign centner shortened the angle and fended off.

On the other side, former Mainz player Florian Müller experienced a moment of shock in the VfB goal: Dominik Kohr headed the left post after a corner by national player Anton Stach (55').

Stuttgart tried desperately to increase the pressure, but many attempts to attack came to nothing.