Hannover hosted Stuttgart knowing that a win would move them into Europa League contention, but they ended up hanging on for a 0-0 draw.
It was not the best of games and Stuttgart created the better chances, the best being in the second half when Shinji Okazaki shot straight at Ron-Robert Ziegler.
However, there were to be no goals and Hannover had to settle for the point which must go down as two dropped.
Read below how the action unfolded.
Hello and thanks for joining me for the second commentary this afternoon from the Bundesliga with Hannover against Stuttgart.
I'll get straight to the teams.
HANNOVER XI: Zieler; Cherundolo, Djourou, Schulz, Pocognoli; Hoffmann, da Silva Pinto; Ya Konan, Rausch; Sakai, Diouf
STUTTGART XI: Zieler; Cherundolo, Djourou, Schulz, Pocognoli; Hoffmann, da Silva Pinto; Ya Konan, Rausch; Sakai, Diouf
Can Hannover take advantage of Mainz's slip-up in the earlier fixture to move ahead of them in the race for Europa League qualification?
It's nearly time for kickoff, and I just can't look past Hannover for this one. I think 2-0 might be a good bet for anyone out there who fancies a flutter. (I was wrong earlier...)
The players are doing their final warm-ups on the pitch, and we're nearly ready.
Stuttgart get us underway.
Gotuku Sakai swings in an early free kick for Stuttgart, but it comes to nothing. Neither side is on top so far in the opening exchanges.
It's a scrappy start - more from Hannover than Stuttgart, though. They can't string more than about four passes together and as such Stuttgart are looking slightly more dangerous at the moment.
Mame Biram Diouf rises very high to win a header, but cannot knock it into the path of Didier Ya Konan. It's quite a direct start from both sides as they're both struggling to keep it on the deck. Good work on the right from Hiroki Sakai, but Diouf is penalised for going up too strongly for the header. Not a lot wrong, really.
Stuttgart are now seeing quite a bit of the ball in midfield, but are struggling to break through a solid Hannover defence. They're certainly the stronger side early on.
Now Hannover with a spell of possession, before Schulz gives it away with a long ball. They win it back and Sakai tries to burst through but just slips at the vital moment in the box. That's better from the hosts.
Traore tests his range from about 25 yards for Stuttgart. It's on target, but didn't have nearly enough power to beat Ron-Robert Ziegler in goal.
We're still waiting for a proper chance in this one. Both teams have looked sluggish, but the hosts more so. Diouf turns in the box from a Cherundolo cross but it's blocked at close range. That was the best opening so far - he's so, so strong the striker.
Traore tries to cross first time instead of putting it wide to Molinaro, but they get away with it after a poor pass from Pocognoli.
Hannover are just starting to impose themselves on the contest finally. At least, in terms of passing around the midfield - they still lack penetration with the final ball.
CHANCE! Okazaki breaks into the box. He has Sakai to his right but goes for goal and it's Djorou with a big block to put it behind for a corner. Stuttgart are getting back on top.
Half-way through this game and there has been little goal threat in truth. Perhaps more so from the visitors, but Hannover really need to improve - for a team with a good home record they're not showing it so far.
Ibisevic is played through with a fine pass from Boka, but the striker completely misses his control when he would have been in on goal. Poor touch.
Hannover have a free kick in a good position to the right of the box. It's swing in deep but Sven Ulreich just has to jump to pluck it out of the air. At the other end, Traore crosses straight to Zieler.
Okazaki is played in with a love ball over the top, but he's always stretching for the header and it goes well over.
Both teams seem to be playing on the break. It doesn't quite work when that happens, and we're seeing a lot of misplaced passes over the top. Perhaps more from Hannover, at the minute, but neither side really deserves to be winning.
The crowd are quite quiet, there aren't a great deal of tackles flying it. It's being played as if neither side has anything to play for. When really, that's far from the truth.
CHANCE! Probably only half a chance really, but it could have gone in. Pinto shoots from outside the box and Ya Konan reacts to try to guide it on target but he can only divert it over the bar. Good reflexes from him and he's unlucky.
There's still somewhat of a lack of urgency in this one. Since the half-hour mark Hannover have probably just about been the better side, but apart from that half-chance they've not tested Ulreich nearly enough.
Ya Konan is fouled by Tasci, but it looked quite soft. Ya Konan turned with the ball and Tasci did actually catch him from behind. That's why I'm not a referee I suppose.
Pinto lines up the free kick but it sails harmlessly over the bar. What a waste of a free kick from about 25 yards out.
Hannover have definitely been on top for about the last 15 minutes, but they're still not receiving a lot of backing from the stands. There's a small section of support with a drum, but otherwise you can hear the players shouting and communicating.
Sakai latches on to a loose ball form a Traore cross to break for Hannover, but as they approach the Stuttgart box the attack breaks down. Then Pocognoli heads straight to Traore, but the chance is wasted by the visitors this time.
HALF-TIME: Hannover 0-0 Stuttgart
A quite scrappy half ends with chances having been at a premium. 0-0 is absolutely the correct result at the moment and let's hope for an improvement after the break.
Both teams are playing a similar style, on the break, and it seems to be that they are cancelling each other out. No one player has stood out, not for good or bad reasons. Just an average half of football. It can only get better.
The best chance of the game was probably Okazaki's header when he was played in with a ball over the top. He was always stretching and it went over, though, which says a lot about the chances we've seen so far.
It might be a little early for substitutes, but if things are no different in another 15 minutes we could well see the coaches looking to change things. The half-time entertainment is leaving the field now so the players should be back out soon.
Here they come. That first half was some way off my 2-0 Hannover prediction, but I have faith that goals are on their way..
Here we go then for the second 45.
Hoffmann goes in on Maxim from behind early on. I think that should have warranted a booking. From the free kick Cherundolo concedes a corner at the far post - he complains to Zieler for a lack of communication. Tasci heads the corner over when well placed - he should have done better.
At the other end, Sakai wins a corner off Molinaro after being fed by Ya Konan. He goes over to take the kick himself, which is headed away then slashed wide on the volley by Pinto. It would have taken something incredibly special from there.
Maxim with some nice work on the right side of the Hannover box, but his cutback goes straight to Cherundolo.
HANNOVER SUB: Karim Haggui comes on for Djourou. He has picked up an injury early in the half, it seems.
CHANCE! Okazaki has a great position to shoot dead centre of goal from about 15 yards, but he directs it straight at Zieler! Best chance of the game, that. A sitter, really.
This is already a much better half. There have been chances at both ends and Stuttgart are now looking comfortable on the ball. Ibisevic goes down on the edge of the box, but he went down like he'd had his legs chopped off. Correct decision not to give a free kick.
CLEARANCE! A fantastic last-ditch block there from Hoffmann for the hosts as Ibisevic looked set to turn the ball on. Really strong defending and they're hanging on a little bit at the moment.
CHANCE! Sakai finds Pinto at an angle in the box. He goes for the near post but the angle wasn't favourable and it's into the side netting. Some fans think it's in, but it would have needed to be perfectly struck to find the right side of the net.
HANNOVER SUB: That's enough of Sakai, and he's withdrawn in a like-for-like change for Mohammed Abdellaoue.
It started very positively this half but it's just slightly gone off the boil in the last five or so.
STUTTGART SUB: Okazaki, who has been one of the better players, makes way for William Kvist.
Stuttgart have got themselves slightly on top in the last few minutes. They're probing with some short, sharp passing and look most likely to create chances. Indeed, the better ones today have gone their way.
TACKLE! Traore leaves Sakai puffing at air with pace and plays in Ibisevic, but Pocognoli tracks him and wins the ball with a fine sliding tackle. If he was quicker, Ibisevic had a chance there.
CHANCE! Oh dear Ibisevic. Sakai swings in a deep cross and Ibisevic gets in between the centre backs but it cannons off his chest and through to Zieler. Awful control!
Hannover come forward with a rare attack and win a corner following what can only be described as a lumped ball into the box. Pinto takes the corner and the chance has gone - awful cross.
Another awful corner is headed out to Pocognoli, who shoots left-footed but that's never troubling Ulreich.
Stuttgart have a free kick around 30 yards from goal. Maxim steps up to hit it and goes for placement, but it's just too high. Zieler should have had it covered had it been on target, anyway.
HANNOVER SUB: Pinto, who has been poor, makes way for Jan Schlaudraff.
STUTTGART SUB: Federico Macheda comes on for Traore. He's been unlucky not to have a goal or assist, Traore.
Hannover have just about been on top in the last few minutes, but they're resorting to shots from range. I can't remember Ulreich being properly tested the whole game.
Ya Konan is brought down from behind by Macheda. Perhaps free kicks can create what would probably be a match-winning chance? Not that one as Schlaudraff's delivery is headed well wide by Haggui.
CLOSE! That's the most troubled Ulreich has been. A shot from distance by Ya Konan is hit hard and low but goes wide of the left-hand post. The keeper probably had it covered.
Hannover are really pressing now and if anyone is to win this it suddenly looks likely to be them. Molinaro at the other end heads towards Macheda, but the Italian gives away a foul going for it. A clumsy foul.
CHANCE! Maxim tries a low drive across Zieler from an angle, but the keeper tips it wide for a corner. Great effort.
Just one minute to be added on.
Ya Konan is tackled by Molinaro in what is probably the last chance of the game. Stuttgart come up the other end but Macheda is tackled.
FULL-TIME: Hannover 0-0 Stuttgart
An opportunity missed for Hannover, which will make Europa League qualification that much harder. Stuttgart will be delighted with a well-earned point.
Thanks for joining me for today's Bundesliga action. Until next time.
