A Yunus Malli hat-trick helped Mainz 05 earn a 3-1 win against Hoffenheim at the Coface Arena this evening.
Hoffenheim went ahead after a quick counter-attack saw Eugen Polanski put through Jonathan Schmid, who slid the ball past the on-rushing Loris Karius for his first goal in a Hoffenheim shirt.
However, Mainz hit back just five minutes later, with Christian Clemens playing the ball into Yunus Malli, who cut inside before driving the ball low inside the near post of Oliver Baumann.
Kevin Volland then had a great chance to put the visitors back in front, putting the ball through the defender's legs with his first touch but the German international scuffed his shot and Karius managed to make the save.
Schmidt then tested Karius again from range late in the first half, but the Mainz goalkeeper palmed away his effort to keep it level.
In the second half, Mainz came close early with Yoshinori Muto crashing his header against the bar from a Clemens corner but it was not long before Mainz finally took the lead themselves, with Pablo de Blasis playing the ball to Malli, who cut in from the right wing and struck a left-footed effort well beyond the reach of Baumann.
Malli would complete his hat-trick seven minutes later, with Clemens pulling the ball back to the 23-year-old, whose first effort was blocked but the German blasted the follow-up home.
Hoffenheim substitute Kevin Kuranyi had an opportunity late on for the visitors to get back in the game, but the German international's strike was straight at Karius.
The win lifts Mainz into third in the Bundesliga before the weekend's fixtures, while Hoffenheim fall to 16th on just one point.
Nathan Staples
