Coming off their late opening day victory over SpVgg Greuther Fürth, Eintracht Frankfurt played St. Pauli to a hard fought 1-1 draw honours even in front of a sparse crowd at Waldstadion in week two of the Bundesliga 2.

Hopeful of immediate rebound to the top-flight of German football, Armin Veh’s set forth with firm intent of their second straight win, though they knew they would be without the normal support of their voracious fans due to restrictions from incidents at the end of the prior campaign.

The opening stages were tense with neither side unable to cultivate an opportunity before midway of the half when the visitors missed a gifted opportunity as Fin Bartels nodded Sebastian Schachten’s provision with goal beckoning. Still Die Adler showed intent with St. Pauli goalkeeper Philipp Tschauner, formerly of 1860 München, stretch out to paw Caio’s probing effort to safety. However eight minutes shy of the break, St. Pauli grabbed the one goal advantage as Marius Ebbers nodded on Deniz Naki’s supply to the right side of the area for Fabian Boll who then crossed for Fin Bartels to finish from close range.

In search of the equalizer, Eintracht manager Armin Veh summoned Karim Matmour in for Caio at the break and it was not long until the hosts began to carve out opening. Moments after the re-start Austrian international Erwin “Jimmy” Hoffer saw a leveller chalked off with an offside call. St. Pauli ‘keeper Philipp Tschauner continued his in-form play as he pushed Alexander Meier’s header over the bar. Just past the hour the Eintract tactician added Martin Fenin for Erwin Hoffer, with Matthias Lehmann for Theofanis Gekas soon thereafter. Finally with twelve minutes remaining in regulation time, Eintracht broke through as a partially cleared ball bounded outside the area to which Alexander Meier delivered a superb volley to the bottom left corner of the net. The final stages saw much of the proceedings in the hosts favour but the contest ended without further incident as a 1-1 draw honours even.

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Borussia Mönchengladbach continued its charge to avoid relegation with its second win since the start of the Rückrunde with a 1-0 defeat of Eintracht Frankfurt at Waldstadion. With the result, Die Fohlen pull level with VfB Stuttgart at the seventeenth spot, two removed from Köln, whilst Eintracht nestle in at ninth of the Bundesliga table.

Coming off their disappointing loss to Hamburger SV, Eintracht manager Michael Skibbe made five changes to his starting eleven, ushering in Marco Russ, Maik Franz, Giorgios Tzavellas, Caio and Pirmin Schwegler for Ricardo Clark, Sebastian Rode, Nikola Petkovic, Theofanis Gekas and Halil Altintop.

Borussia manager Michael Frontzeck continued his tactical re-working of his side that has seen its defending make dramatic improvements since returning from the break and made only a single change from last weeks falter to Bayer 04 Leverkusen with Tobias Levels entering for Thorben Marx.

Eintract, still unable to breach the opposition net since the re-start, made the first noteworthy advance with Caio blistering an effort from twenty metres over the bar at the ninth minute. Just past the half-hour, the twenty-four year-old Brazilian attacker was once again the centre of the storm as his effort rasped off Tobias Levels, striking the post before visiting keeper Christofer Heimeroth smothered the ball. Chances were sparing through the break, as both sides were reluctant to expose themselves in the attack.

At the re-start, Michael Frontzeck added Algerian international Karim Matmour for Mike Hanke but it was the visitors how narrowly missed taking the lead as Eintracht ‘keeper Oka Nikolov made a virtuoso stop of Karim Matmour’s effort. Quickly thereafter the visitors saw a goal chalked off due to offside, Igor De Camargo looked to have given Borussia the lead when his header appeared to have crossed the line, only to see the ball swatted by into play by the host goalkeeper. The contest appeared that a nil draw was forthcoming before Borussia snatched the lone goal with six minutes remaining in regulation time via a quick counter as former Standard Liège man Igor de Camargo sent in Karim Matmour’s cross from the left. Down by one, Eintracht pressed forward with Ioannis Amanatidis entering quickly as an extra attacker but were unable to find the needed touch and the match concluded 1-0 in favour of Borussia Mönchengladbach.

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Eintracht Frankfurt’s difficult start to the Rückrunde continued with a 1-0 loss to host Hamburger SV at the Volksparkstadion. With the result, Armin Veh’s side pull level with Bayern München at the fifth spot in the Bundesliga table, whilst Eintracht rests eighth.

Coming off their loss to Hannover 96, Eintracht Frankfurt saw the host’s post an early chance at the ninth minute, resulting in goalkeeper Oka Nikolov stopping Änis Ben-Hatira’s offering that came via a fine through ball from Zé Roberto. Chances were sparing in the opening half with the most notable event occurring just past hour, when a collision between Alexander Meier and Gojko Kačar when challenging for a header resulted in both players forced to leave the contest due to injury. After a further effort by Änis Ben-Hatira came up for naught, the uneventful half concluded with the scoreless draw intact.

At the re-start, Armin Veh summoned Croatian international Mladen Petrić in for Jonathan Pitroipa and HSV quickly took charge of the encounter, as the visitors seem more intent on defending. Cueing up for the goal, HSV was dictating the run of play when they scored the contests lone goal five minutes past the hour a Mladen Petrić, at the back post, slid to turn in Änis Ben-Hatira’s sublime low left-footed cross from the right. Eintracht was showing little going forward but with six minutes remaining, Marcel Heller saw his close range header deflect wide. Comfortably locking down their visitors modest advances, Hamburger SV closed the match out to claim the full three points with a 1-0 victory.

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Hannover 96 roared to second-place in the Bundesliga race as they opened the Rückrunde with an overwhelming 3-0 win over host Eintracht Frankfurt at Waldstadion.

Rebounding from last years near disastrous campaign that saw them narrowly avoid relegation, Mirko Slomka’s side showed defending discipline as Eintracht controlled the run of play early. Fifteen minutes after the opening whistle 96 went in front as Norwegian international Mohammed Abdellaoue, latched onto Sérgio Pinto’s provision down the centre of the pitch after he dispossessed Benjamin Köhler, surged beyond Roberto Clark before sending the ball past Eintracht goalkeeper Oka Nikolov from the edge of the area. With die Adler’s voracious supporters in full support, Benjamin Köhler narrowly missed with the leveller moments later but it was not until 96 doubled their advantage. Six minutes after the opening goal, after Austrian international Emanuel Pogatetz came within a hushed whisper of scoring, Christian Schulz, at the near post, headed in Konstantin Rausch’s pinpoint corner from the right. Down by two, the host’s tactical plan was torn asunder, with 96 responding with confidently by absorbing pressure and looking for the counter.

At the restart, Michael Skibbe summoned Martin Fenin for Alexander Meier, as his side searched for a way back into the contest, whilst the 96 tactician added Jan Schlaudraff for Lars Stindl. Though the hosts looked positive in the early stages of the second half, quality chances failed to materialize as much of play was box to box. With fourteen minutes remaining in regulation time, 96’s highly promising young goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler, in his first start at the top flight, stamped his name on the proceedings with a superb stop of Ioannis Amanatidis’ header via a Benjamin Köhler free kick. As time wore down, the hosts were lacking in creating scoring chances and at the eighty-ninth minute Côte d’Ivoire international team Didier Ya Konan, from five metres out, sent in Lars Stindl’s cross from right by-line. Following another superb stop by goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler, Hannover 96 laid claim to the victory with a 3-0 victory.

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Borussia Mönchengladbach jumped into full celebration mode as they defeated Eintracht Frankfurt in front of the intensely loyal supporters at Borussia Park. The result pushes ‘Gladbach to eleventh with thirty-seven points, all but assuring their spot in the Bundesliga next year, with Eintracht at the eighth spot.

Coming off last years stunning great escape Rückrunde led by Hans Meyer, the legendary side from Mönchengladbach has made steady improvement, though the majority of their success has been at home. Against their high-flying visitors who still had hopes of a spot in the Europa League, Borussia stormed forward from the opening whistle and took the 1-0 lead at the sixth minute. After Karim Matmour dispossessed a Eintracht defender of the ball on the right flank, cleverly heading the ball forward before seeing it link to Michael Bradley, via Thorben Marx. The former Heerenveen man lofted the ball into the box Raúl Bobadilla, who chipped it over the onrushing ‘keeper with Marco Reus surging to the back post to head the ball into the net. After withstanding an effort by the visitors, Borussia went on the attack with Raúl Bobadilla forcing Eintracht ‘keeper Oka Nikolov into a fine stop.

Die Fohlen came out of the break with intent and doubled the margin four minutes before the break. After a hard foul on Raúl Bobadilla gave Borussia a free kick from the left, Dante rose high, five metres out, to head Juan Arango set piece to the back of the net. With Borussia-Park in full song, there was no stopping the hosts as they poured forward looking to increase the lead. After the Eintracht ‘keeper denied Marco Russ from point blank range, a further chance was cleared off the line. Despite those failed efforts, there was no stopping the celebration at Borussia-Park as their heroes claimed the 2-0 victory.

Eintracht Frankfurt returns to play a week Sunday as they welcome relegation threatened Hertha Berlin to Waldstadion, whilst Borussia Mönchengladbach travels to Gelsenkirchen to face Schalke 04 the day before.

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Eintracht Frankfurt continued its stunning resurgence with a late 3-2 defeat of Bayer 04 Leverkusen in front of their always supportive fans at Waldstadion. With the victory, Eintract keeps alive its slim hopes for a spot on the European stage, holding down eighth place in the Bundesliga table, whilst Bayer 04 is at third but only a point above surging Borussia Dortmund.

After the visitors squandered a fine chance to take the lead, Eintracht supporters rose in unison at the twentieth-eight minute when Selim Teber converted from the spot after Eren Derdiyok was adjudged a penalty for bringing down Marco Russ in the area. Werkself was not deterred and five minutes later levelled as Stefan Kießling closed out from fourteen metres after a fine buildup of play for Eren Derdiyok and Toni Kroos.

Bayer 04 grabbed the lead moments after the restart when Toni Kroos latched onto a errant pass and played in Stefan Kießling with the attacker making no mistake from twelve metres. Disaster struck Leverkusen a few minutes later as Daniel Schwaab was sent off for a rash challenge of Ümit Korkmaz. Eintracht grabbled the levelled two-minutes past the hour as Caio sent a powerful serving drive from thirty-plus metres into the net past Leverkusen ‘keeper René Adler. Die Adler, after coming up empty of a few other chances, found the winner with a minute remaining as Maik Franz lodged a highlight reel overhead scissors kick to bring the match to a 3-2 final.

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Eintracht Frankfurt kept their Europa League hopes intact as they overcame relegation threatened VfL Bochum 2-1 at the Ruhrstadion. With the result, Eintracht sits seventh in the Bundesliga table, whilst Bochum sits at the fourteenth spot.

After Eintracht saw a number of efforts come up empty, the hosts took the lead at the tenth minute as Lewis Holtby turned in Vahed Hashemian’s cross from the right. Die Adler wasted no time going on the assault and a minute shy of the hour levelled as Marco Russ headed Benjamin Köhler’s free kick from the right into the net. The pace slowed, though Ümit Korkmaz narrowly missed lodging the go-ahead goal before the break.

Eintracht continued to dictate the run of play after the break and four minutes past the hour took the 2-1 lead via a quick assault as Caio sent an effort from twenty-six metres into the bottom left hand corner. For the balance of the proceedings, the visitors dominated but were unable to turn the screw with the insurance goal. However, fortune was on the side of Eintract and after Zlatko Dedič squandered a high probability chance, they laid claim to the full three points with a 2-1 victory.

Both sides return to play next Saturday as Eintracht Frankfurt welcomes Bayer 04 Leverkusen, whilst VfL Bochum visits SC Freiburg.

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In a breathtaking finish, Eintracht Frankfurt stunned Bayern München with two late goals to claim a 2-1 victory in front of their voracious supporters at Waldstadion. With the result, Eintracht Frankfurt climbs to eight in the Bundesliga table, whilst Bayern will lose their first-place position if Schalke 04 wins on Sunday.

Visiting Bayern went on the attack early and appeared ready to hand Eintracht their fourth consecutive defeat. After a earlier attempt came up empty, Bayern took the 1-0 lead at the fifth minute as from close-range Miroslav Klose volleyed Mark van Bommel’s cross into the net. Not deterred, the loyal followers exalted their side on and though they made a number of noble efforts, Bayern ‘keeper Hans-Jörg Butt could not be beaten.

Eintracht continued to enjoy the run of play after the break but the final touch evaded them. In the final quarter-hour manager Michael Skibbe summoned Martin Fenin, Ümit Korkmaz and finally, highly promising teen striker Juvhel Tsoumou into the affair. With three minutes remaining in regulation time, Bayern’s David Alaba back pass did not have enough weight on it and the young attacker notched his first Bundesliga goal. Only a minute later as Martin Fenin accepted Halil Altıntop’s provision from the left flank and drove the ball as Eintracht Frankfurt laid claim to the full three points with a 2-1 victory.

Bayern München return to play on Wednesday against Schalke 04 in the DFB Pokal, before welcoming VfB Stuttgart in league play on Saturday, whilst Eintracht Frankfurt visits VfL Bochum on Friday evening.

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Just when you thought Hannover 96 were ready to go down for the count and accept relegation to the second division, they fought back to defeat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 at the Niedersachsenstadion. With the victory, 96 maintain pace with Nürnberg and are at the sixteenth spot of the Bundesliga table, whilst Eintracht are at tenth.

96 billowed with a new found resolve and after squandering a few early efforts went in front 1-0 at the fourteenth minute as a cross from the right by-line soared high into the box, with Didier Konan Ya bringing down before Leon Andreasen drove into the net past Eintracht ‘keeper Oka Nikolov. Following the go-ahead goal, the momentum began to shift and in added-time, before the break, Halil Altintop half-volleyed a free kick from the left into the back of the net from ten metres out.

After the break, Eintracht were looking strong but six minutes shy of the hour were forced to play a man down when Selim Teber was given his exit orders with his second yellow-card. Three minutes later, Sergio Pinto opportunistically chipped in the rebound of Élson’s attempt from seven metres that the Eintracht ‘keeper did not parry sufficiently. For the remainder of the affair, Eintract did little to suggest they would find the leveller. In added-time Eintracht went down to nine-men as Maik Franz was shown his second yellow card before 96 claimed the 2-1 victory.

Both sides return to play next Saturday as Hannover 96 visits VfB Stuttgart at the Neckarstadion, whilst Eintracht Frankfurt welcomes Bayern München to Waldstadion.

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Eintracht Frankfurt fell 4-1 to a highly motivated Schalke 04 at the Waldstadion. With the result Felix Magath’s sit at second in the Bundesliga table, whilst Eintracht is at the eighth spot.

Die Königsblauen went on the attack early with Joel Matip nodding in Marcio Rafinha’s corner at the thirteenth minute. Two minutes later Benedikt Höwedes exposed Eintracht’s weakness on set-pieces and he redirected Lukas Schmitz’s free kick into the net. Seven minutes after the re-start Alexander Meier sent in Patrick Ochs’ cross to bring the match to within one but that was as close as it would get as Schalke would pull away late. With ten minutes remaining in regulation, Schalke exposed Eintracht at the back and via a quick assault Ivan Rakitić sent in, from close-range, a cross from Kevin Kurányi. As time wound down Christoph Moritz linked the ball to Kevin Kurányi, with the striker circumventing the ‘keeper before depositing into the net for the 4-1 victory.

Eintracht Frankfurt returns to play next Saturday as they travel to face Hannover 96 at Niedersachsenstadion, whilst Schalke 04 welcomes VfB Stuttgart to Gelsenkirchen.

Prepared by J. Davies
©Europa League News, 2010.
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