Magnificent seven for Mainz

BERLIN - Minnow Mainz equaled the record for most wins at the start of a Bundesliga campaign with its seventh victory as it hammered 10-man Hoffenheim 4-2 on Saturday to maintain its perfect record.

Dark-horse Mainz is only the third side after Kaiserslautern and Bayern Munich to have won all seven matches at the start of the season and its young guns ran riot at home to Hoffenheim.

Coach Thomas Tuchel can scarcely believe his luck as his inexperienced side is growing in confidence with every game, especially after winning 2-1 at defending champion Bayern Munich last weekend.