Hoffenheim passed up the chance to return to the top of the Bundesliga when they were held to a goalless draw at Borussia Dortmund in a match which ended with both teams a man down.
Visiting midfielder Tobias Weis was dismissed for a professional foul and Dortmund's Sebastian Kehl received his second yellow card 12 minutes from time.
The draw moves third-placed Hoffenheim onto 41 points - two points behind leaders Hertha Berlin and one point adrift of Hamburg, who host Wolfsburg.
Dortmund still have not won in 2009 although they improved to 33 points in ninth place - six points from a European spot.
Hoffenheim had a fine chance after 12 minutes with an 18-yard free-kick by Sejad Salihovic, whose curling ball went just wide.
Dortmund were unable to convert three minutes later after Hoffenheim goalkeeper Daniel Haas could only block Nelson Valdez's shot from 20 yards. The ball went directly to the charging Mohamed Zidan, whose shot was superbly fended away by Haas.
Hoffenheim's fine passing gave Selim Teber a chance in the area after 21 minutes but the captain could not beat Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller from a tight angle.
Weidenfeller was again called upon in the 35th minute, stopping Salihovic's left-footed blast from 18 yards.
The game remained very up tempo after the break and Carlos Eduardo nearly gave Hoffenheim the lead in the 57th minute but his shot went just inches over the bar.
Haas almost handed the hosts the lead two minutes later as he mishandled Tamas Hajnal's shot from 17 yards and allowed the ball to go past him, but it just dribbled wide of the right-hand post.
Weis and Kehl were sent off with 12 minutes left after an altercation in midfield.
Hoffenheim had the final chance of the game two minutes into stoppage time but Weidenfeller tipped over his crossbar an 18-yard free kick from Salihovic, who last weekend failed to convert a late penalty which would have given his team victory against Stuttgart.
