Zero number for Eintracht women
Loss of the ball shocks Frankfurt in the CL key game
December 13, 2023, 11:10 p.m
Behind FC Barcelona, Eintracht Frankfurt and Benfica Lisbon are playing for second place, which will ensure they advance in the Champions League. In Portugal, a loss of the ball by SGE captain Tanja Pawollek initiated the game-deciding situation. This increases the pressure enormously.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s footballers suffered a setback in the first of two key games in the Champions League group stage. Coach Niko Arnautis’ team lost 0-1 (0-0) at Benfica Lisbon at the Estadio da Luz and slipped to the penultimate place in Group A after the third matchday with three points. The Portuguese (6) are now three points away.
Marie Alidou scored the winning goal in the 71st minute for the Portuguese champions, who dominated the game for long periods. The goal was preceded by a careless loss of the ball by Frankfurt captain Tanja Pawollek in midfield. Overall, Eintracht acted too passively and could hardly create any chances. Rather, goalkeeper Stina Johannes saved the Hessians from a major defeat with a few saves.
The Frankfurt team repeatedly made a few bad passes and inaccuracies throughout the game – as was the case in the sixth minute, when Johannes barely scratched an unsuccessful back pass from national player Sophia Kleinherne off the line. It was only after around half an hour that the guests got better into the game.
After the break, Arnautis’ team could have taken the lead, but Lara Prasnikar’s (48th) shot from a central position flew just over the goal. The game, which the streaming provider DAZN showed as part of the men’s Champions League conference, was now overall more open than in the first section. Benfica was a little closer to the goal. First Johannes made a strong one-on-one save against Alidou (51′), but 20 minutes later she had no chance when the Canadian shot from the edge of the penalty area.
The second leg against Benfica in Hesse will take place on December 21st (6:45 p.m./DAZN). Great importance is attached to the direct duel, as progress could be decided between the two teams behind the elusive leaders FC Barcelona. The defending champion (9) effortlessly prevailed over outsiders FC Rosengard, who still had no points, 6-0 (3-0). Only the first and second teams in the group advance to the quarter-finals.