Highlights

Matchday 17

FINAL

MEWA ARENA

VfL Wolfsburg

WidmerSilvan Widmer

61'

12'

ČernýVáclav Černý

P. Ittrich

MEWA ARENA

Full-time: Mainz 1-1 Wolfsburg

Mainz battled back to secure what could be a valuable point in their battle to remain in the Bundesliga thanks to Silvan Widmer's fantastic second-half strike. A share of the spoils was a fair result with both sides having further chances but the defences mostly staying on top.

Full-time

90'

+ 3

Substitution

Yannick Gerhardt

Lovro Majer

90'

Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes

Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.

Jakub Kamiński33.72km/h

Sepp van den Berg32.45km/h

Silvan Dominic Widmer32.13km/h

88'

Great stop by Zentner

The Mainz goalkeeper is back in the side for the first time since November and he has just leapt to keep out a powerful Sebastiaan Bornauw header from a corner and keep Mainz level.

88'

Substitution

Maxim Leitsch

Phillipp Mwene

84'

Mainz want a winner

The momentum has toed and froed this afternoon, but the hosts are making most of the running as we enter the final phases. Koen Casteels denied Silvan Widmer in a chance for Mainz to take the lead.

79'

Yellow card

Mattias Svanberg

78'

Substitution

Marco Richter

Jonathan Burkardt

78'

Substitution

Leandro Barreiro

Tom Krauß

71'

Substitution

Ridle Baku

Václav Černý

71'

Substitution

Mattias Svanberg

Aster Vranckx

71'

Substitution

Tiago Tomás

Jakub Kaminski

64'

Substitution

Rogério

Nicolas Cozza

62'

Substitution

Brajan Gruda

Merveille Papela

61'

Wonderful Widmer strike brings Mainz level

Mainz have struggled to create major chances so far today, but there is no stopping a bolt like that! Phillipp Mwene floats a ball over to the right where Silvan Widmer lashes a drive from a tight angle straight into the net from the edge of the box.

61'

Silvan Widmer

GOAL!

1:1

Goal probability

Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.

2 %

Shot speed

Shot speed describes the maximum speed in km/h that a ball reaches in a shot on goal. The distance is measured from the location of the shot to the centre of the goal.

84.3 km/h

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

20.69 m

58'

Wolfsburg want a second

The visitors have stepped up a gear since the restart and have enjoyed the better of the second half so far. Jonas Wind had the best chance for a second goal, nodding wide at the near post from a Lovro Majer corner.

57'

Yellow card

Edimilson Fernandes

54'

Yellow card

Koen Casteels

46'

Back in action in Mainz

The hosts have fewer home goals than any other Bundesliga side this season - five. They have to add to that tally to salvage a result today.

46'

Yellow card

Sepp van den Berg

Kick-off!

Half-time: Mainz 0-1 Wolfsburg

Václav Černý's early goal sees Wolfsburg with their noses in front at half-time. Mainz have been the more attacking side for most of the match since the opener, but the visitors have defended capably.

Half-time

Černý charges out of the blocks

In addition to netting his second goal for Wolfsburg this afternoon, Václav Černý (pictured left) has recorded more sprints than any other player on the pitch in the opening 36 minutes - 19.

30'

Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes

Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.

Jakub Kamiński32.86km/h

Sepp van den Berg32.45km/h

Václav Černý30.86km/h

27'

Yellow card

Moritz Jenz

22'

Mainz trying to level

The hosts have reacted well to falling behind and are putting sustained pressure on the Wolfsburg goal. Anthony Caci puts the ball into the net from a corner, but the goal is disallowed for a foul in the build-up.

More early woe for Mainz

Mainz have now conceded seven goals in the opening 15 minutes of Bundesliga matches this season - more than any other side.

16'

Yellow card

Aster Vranckx

12'

Wolfsburg go in front

Václav Černý smashes his second goal in the Bundesliga since signing from FC Twente in the summer. A swift attack finds the Czech attacker on the right, and he drifts inside before setting up the shot inside the box and dispatching it past Robin Zentner in style.

12'

Václav Černý

GOAL!

0:1

Goal probability

8 %

Shot speed

Shot speed describes the maximum speed in km/h that a ball reaches in a shot on goal. The distance is measured from the location of the shot to the centre of the goal.

102.96 km/h

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

15.94 m

Yellow card

Silvan Widmer

Underway in Mainz

The hosts are eyeing their second win of the season.

Kick-off!

Mainz pauses to remember Beckenbauer

The great former Germany legend is honoured before kick-off.

0:19

Watch: The Wolves have arrived

Mainz starting XI

Zentner - Fernandes, Van den Berg, Caci - Widmer (c), Krauß, Kohr, Mwene - Papela, Burkardt - Onisiwo

Mainz subs

Batz, Leitsch, da Costa, Barreiro, Richter, Guilavogui, Gruda, Ajorque, Mamutovic

Wolfsburg starting XI

Casteels – Mæhle, Bornauw, Jenz, Cozza, - Vranckx, Arnold (c) – Černý, Majer, Kamiński - Wind

Wolfsburg subs

Pervan, Fischer, Zesiger, Rogério, Baku, Gerhardt, Svanberg, Tomás, Pejčinović

Kovac's view on Mainz

The Wolfsburg coach says he is expecting more of a battle than a fine footballing encounter. He has called on his team to stand their ground and show the footballing qualities he has been drilling into them over the winter break.

Siewert's view on Wolfsburg

"Wolfsburg are very compact and have high intensity. They also close down the spaces, have good positional play and pose danger both through the centre and out wide. We want to take those weapons off them."

Minute's silence

In honour of Franz Beckenbauer, there will be a minute’s silence held before all Bundesliga Matchday 17 matches, while players will also wear a black armband as a mark of respect for the passing of one of the all-time greats of German and world football.

Probable line-ups

Who’s set to play this weekend? Who’s going to miss out? Keep up to date with all the latest team news right here!

0:30

Watch: Get set for the Bundesliga's return!

Mainz - the season so far

Mainz were bottom of the Bundesliga nine games into the 2023/24 campaign, and winless in 14 dating back to April. That alarming run cost Bo Svensson his job, but there have been signs of life under Jan Siewert, who was initially appointed as caretaker boss. The 05ers have climbed into the relegation play-off spot on goal difference, after taking seven points from a possible 21 under the ex-Huddersfield Town coach, who has since signed a permanent deal through to summer 2026.

Wolfsburg - the season so far

The Wolves started the season with two straight wins, but haven't recorded back-to-back league victories since. Indeed, they've only won two of their last 10 league games, despite knocking out holders Leipzig of the DFB Cup during that run. Six defeats from eight away games will be of particular concern for head coach Niko Kovač, who could do with Jonas Wind rediscovering the sort of form that saw him score seven of his nine goals for the campaign so far across the first six matches.

2:03

Watch: Wolfsburg 3-0 Mainz - previous meeting

Jonas Wind scored twice as Wolfsburg made it a double of 3-0 wins over Mainz last season.

2:03

Watch: Dortmund 1-1 Mainz - highlights

Mainz recovered from a goal down to earn a well-earned point in Dortmund on Matchday 16.

2:03

Watch: Wolfsburg 1-2 Bayern - highlights

Wolfsburg were narrowly beaten by defending champions Bayern Munich in their final game of 2023.

Hello and welcome!

Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of this Matchday 17 fixture between Mainz and Wolfsburg.