Sunday, May 09, 2021
Eintracht overtaken by Dortmund
Frankfurt hits while sitting, but gets stuck
Eintracht Frankfurt prevents the defeat and feels like a loser after the 32nd game day of the Bundesliga. Against 1. FSV Mainz 05, the Hessians are long behind, the equalization is as strange as it is worth seeing. But the Champions League seems to be slipping away.
Eintracht Frankfurt threatens a late knockout in the exciting three-way battle for the premier class. With the 1: 1 (0: 1) in the Rhein-Main-Derby against FSV Mainz 05, the team of coach Adi Hütter finally lost its good starting position in the race for the first qualification for the Champions League and slipped again for the first time since the end of January the top four in the Bundesliga.
After the victories of VfL Wolfsburg (60 points) and Borussia Dortmund (58), the Hessians (57) may have to be content with the Europa League despite a historic season. Ajdin Hrustic (85th) saved the draw with a curious goal while sitting, but Hütter and Co. have to hope for help on the remaining two game days. Karim Onisiwo (11th) gave coach Bo Svensson’s team an important point on the way to relegation.
In Frankfurt, the fear of another slump in the crucial phase of the season had recently increased – mainly due to the weak phase after Hütter had announced his departure. Two years ago, Eintracht had carelessly gambled away the premier class in the final sprint from a similar position. Correspondingly nervous, the hosts started Hütter’s 100th Bundesliga game – and after a hesitant start were punished by the self-confident Mainz team. Onisiwo put a low shot into the corner from around 20 meters.
Frankfurt without any ease
The unity seemed shocked, acted too unimaginative and failed with their offensive efforts again and again due to the biting guests, who lurked deep in their own half for counterattacks. Hütter tried to support his team from the edge of the field, but the uncertainty did not subside as the game played. Except for a massive finish by Filip Kostic (20th), which the strong 05-keeper Robin Zentner parried, and a solo run by Andre Silva (37th), which Jeremiah St. Juste stopped in dire need, the Hessians managed nothing. Leading player Sebastian Rode was injured early on (29th).
Even after the break, Mainz, who only had 24 percent possession of the ball in the first round, left the game to the opponent. However, Eintracht didn’t know what to do with the ball – a desperate long-range shot by Daichi Kamada (52nd) went far past.
Only after an hour did Hütter react to the uninspired appearance of his team and brought fresh strength to Amin Younes, Stefan Ilsanker and Timothy Chandler. However, opportunities remained scarce, and the Frankfurt team lacked the ease of the past few weeks even in the final phase. Onisiwo missed his second goal on the opposite side (75th), then Hrustic equalized.
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