Having registered just one league win since mid-October, Edin Terzic’s men found themselves five points adrift of the top four heading into the final matchday before Christmas.
A home fixture against 17th-placed Mainz looked like a favourable one on paper, and it was the hosts who came flying out the blocks with several chances inside the opening quarter-hour. Jamie Bynoe-Gittens fired a powerful strike against the bar from inside the box, while Donyell Malen saw a low effort superbly thwarted by Daniel Batz in the visitors’ goal.
The one-way traffic continued as the first half progressed, and Dortmund’s pressure finally paid dividends in the 28th minute, when Julian Brandt curled a brilliant free-kick beyond the outstretched dive of Batz.
The hosts came close to doubling their lead just three minutes later through Marcel Sabitzer, but the Austrian international was denied by the woodwork.
That near miss came back to haunt Dortmund shortly before half-time, as Sepp van den Berg rose highest in the six-yard box to head home from Philipp Mwene’s inviting delivery – giving Mainz a shock equaliser heading into the break.
Determined to regain control of the contest, the hosts emerged after the restart on the front foot, and Malen was again denied by the impressive Batz. Having suffered just two defeats on home soil since August 2022 (W22, D7), the hosts ramped up the pressure as time ticked into the final half-hour, but the Mainz rearguard stood firm, limiting Dortmund to only half-chances in the final third.
Terzic made several positive changes in the hope of injecting a spark into the hosts’ attacking play, however, a late winner ultimately proved elusive as the visitors battled to a hard-earned share of the spoils.
The result leaves Dortmund without a win in six matches across all competitions (D4, L2) and Terzic under severe pressure, while Mainz avoid defeat for just the second time in the last six meetings with Dortmund.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Daniel Batz (Mainz)
Other results:
In the other late match of the evening in the Bundesliga, Hoffenheim and Darmstadt shared six goals in an entertaining 3-3 draw.
Earlier, another draw as Werder Bremen held RB Leipzig 1-1.
