Monchengladbach 1 : 1 Mainz - Gladbach and Mainz share spoils

Borussia Monchengladbach and Mainz both preserved their unbeaten records in the Bundesliga this season as they recorded a 1-1 draw at the Borussia Park Stadion.

Max Kruse gave the hosts the lead, but Jonas Hofmann's penalty ensured Kasper Hjumand's side have only been beaten in Europe and in the DFB-Pokal this season.

Gladbach have now gone 12 games without defeat, but will feel they dropped two points and, as a result, the chance to move up to second on Sunday evening.

With Borussia Dortmund, Schalke and Bayer Leverkusen all faltering, Gladbach have emerged as the only serious challenger to Bayern Munich's dominance of German football.

Their unbeaten start to the season has also come with an attractive brand of football that has made them the envy of many in the Bundesliga, and even Mainz spent a little too long standing admiring Lucien Favre's side.

Patrick Herrmann set up Raffael for the Foals' first chance, which Loris Karius was able to save in the fourth minute, but just 10 minutes later, the Mainz goalkeeper was beaten.

Herrmann and Fabian Johnson exchanged passes with the latter setting up Kruse to beat Karius.

Mainz were shocked out of their admiring stares and launched a few attacks of their own, pulling level after half an hour when Junior Diaz's cross hit the arm of Julian Korb inside the area and Hofmann scored from the spot.

Raffael tried his luck from distance again as Gladbach raised the tempo in the second half, Karius again denying the Brazilian.

Mainz were trying to give Gladbach a taste of their own medicine, seeking their chances on the counter-attack, but the big opportunities continued to arrive at the other end.

Thorgan Hazard failed in a one-on-one opportunity against Karius and Raffael was denied again, this time by Stefan Bell on the goal line.

He was again denied by Junior Diaz on the rebound with all Gladbach's efforts to find a winner going unrewarded.