Eagles down Union Berlin | OneFootball

Icon: Eintracht Frankfurt

Eintracht Frankfurt

·1 October 2022

Eagles down Union Berlin

Article image:Eagles down Union Berlin

First-half goals from Mario Götze and Jesper Lindström earned Eintracht Frankfurt a 2-0 win at home to the league leaders on Matchday 8.

Oliver Glasner made two changes from the 3-1 win at Stuttgart two weeks ago. Kristijan Jakic missed out with an injury so Luca Pellegrini was recalled on the left flank with Ansgar Knauff reverting to the right side, while Lindström replaced Djibril Sow in midfield.


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Brilliant Eagles

After a quiet start to the match, Eintracht took the lead with their first chance in the 12th minute. Randal Kolo Muani powered into the penalty area and cut the ball back for Mario Götze, who coolly cushioned it into the corner of the net. It was Kolo Muani’s fifth assist in the Bundesliga this term – the most in the league – and he set up another good chance 10 minutes later, again showing pace and skill to beat two defenders and get to the byline. The ball ran through to Pellegrini, but he blasted over the bar.

Union then had their first meaningful opportunity when Janik Haberer’s long-range attempt was tipped behind by Kevin Trapp. Shortly after, Lindström’s curling shot was pushed away by ex-Eintracht goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow. Pellegrini then hit the crossbar with a blistering first-time volley, but Frankfurt did get the crucial second goal at the end of the first half. It was all down to Lindström, who seized on a loose pass in Union’s build-up play and then charged towards goal, cutting inside and leaving two defenders in his wake before slotting in at the near post.

10 men hold on

There was no let-up in the intensity after the restart. Pellegrini had the first opportunity of the second half but again narrowly missed the target after winning the ball on the left. That was immediately followed by a double chance for Union, with Haberer being denied by Trapp and then Gießelmann firing over from the rebound.

The pressure from the visitors began to increase after that as they searched for a way back in the game, and they were given a lifeline when Kolo Muani was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge in the 68th minute. Still they struggled to find a way through against Eintracht’s determined defending, and when they did, Trapp was on hand, with the Germany international making two excellent saves from Tim Skarke volleys to preserve his clean sheet and the 2-0 scoreline.

Summary: Fully deserved win

It was an excellent performance from the Eagles in every department to inflict a first league defeat of the season on Union Berlin. Even when Eintracht were reduced to 10 men, the usually effective visitors struggled to create clear chances. The win lifts SGE up to fifth in the Bundesliga table, but now their focus switches to Tuesday’s Champions League encounter at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

SGE line-up

Trapp – Tuta, Hasebe, Ndicka – Knauff, Kamada, Rode (Dina Ebimbe 71’), Pellegrini (Lenz 71’) – Lindström (Borré 86’), Götze (Sow 66’) – Kolo Muani

Goals 1-0 Götze (12’) 2-0 Lindström (42’)

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