Last-gasp win | OneFootball

Stoppage-time goals from Aurélio Buta and Robin Koch earned Eintracht a 2-1 win at home to Borussia Mönchengladbach in their final game of the year.

Head coach Dino Toppmöller welcomed top scorer Omar Marmoush back into the starting line-up following suspension, while Ellyes Skhiri and Philipp Max were also recalled. Niels Nkounkou, Hugo Larsson and Aurelio Buta were the players to make way.

Conceding from a corner

The first half was a tight, even affair throughout, with Eintracht enjoying most of the possession but failing to create clear-cut opportunities. Their most notable chance came in the 11th minute, when Willian Pacho headed straight at goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas from a corner. Pacho then went close again with an effort from the edge of the box.

With the hosts increasingly dominating possession, Gladbach took the lead from their first corner of the game in the 27th minute. Maximilian Wöber was left in too much space to head in Franck Honorat’s delivery as Eintracht conceded from a corner for the first time this season. The Austrian – who, like Robin Koch, is on loan from Leeds United – could have scored a second shortly after, but Kevin Trapp got down well to save his low shot. The visitors saw out the rest of the half comfortably.

Dramatic ending

The second period continued in a similar vein, with Borussia keeping it tight and soaking up the Frankfurt possession. It took until the 55th minute for the first chance to fall to Fares Chaibi after Gladbach gave away possession, but his shot from the left of the penalty area was parried by Nicolas. It was the 21-year-old who tested Nicolas next, too, with his free kick beating the wall but not the Foals’ custodian.

Toppmöller turned to his bench to reinvigorate his attack for the closing stages, throwing on Nkounkou, Buta, Jens Petter Hauge and Jessic Ngankam. His side kept knocking at the door but lacked the purpose and precision to put Gladbach under sustained pressure.

The Eagles looked to be heading for a second home league defeat of the season until the heavily involved Wöber was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 88th minute. With seven minutes added on, Eintracht took full advantage of the extra man.

First, Nkounkou’s cross was headed in at the far post by the unmarked Buta to level the score. Marmoush then headed wide in the sixth minute of stoppage time, but that was not, in fact, to be the last act. In the dying seconds, Nkounkou again drove down the left side and whipped the ball in low for Koch to bundle in from close range, sparking wild celebrations at Deutsche Bank Park and giving the home fans the perfect Christmas present.