Nnew year, new luck! Frankfurt Eintracht made a start in 2020, which makes the crisis at the end of 2019 seem like an evil fairy tale from the distant past. Quite a few rumored that there was a risk of relegation during the winter break. After the convincing 5-0 win over FC Augsburg on Friday evening, the eyes turn upwards again in the Bundesliga table. Ten points from four games and the move into the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup nourish hope for a great second half of the season. Up to 1: 0 by Chandler (37th) Augsburg turned out to be the expected uncomfortable opponent. The first dream goal of the German-American (shot in the corner) gave the direction, his second (header in the corner) paved the way to victory – and the 3: 0 by Silva (55th) then decided the encounter before Kostic caused the encores with his goals in the 89th and 90th minute. Until the lead, Eintracht showed a disciplined and committed performance, after the 1-0 there were also playful elements.
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“It was a very good performance against an opponent we don’t like to play against. That is a clear statement, it is incredibly good for us, ”said Eintracht sports director Fredi Bobic.
Coach Hütter was initially right with his announcement that a nice game was not to be expected between Eintracht and FC Augsburg. In this phase of the championship, both teams maintain a stubborn and tactically disciplined style of play. Thinking is more about spoiling the game than staging the game. The almost 50,000 spectators saw a very intense game with countless duels for over half an hour, but only one chance to score. In the ninth minute, Augsburg’s Vargas appeared freely in front of Eintracht goalkeeper Trapp, but failed to get the ball past him.
First chance in minute 32
Otherwise, the Frankfurt and Augsburg neutralized each other in their really serious and serious efforts, which led to a certain amount of boredom in the stands because the spectators had had enough of one-on-one arguments.
It was until the 32nd minute that Eintracht got their first goal. Ndicka had vigorously prevailed on the left and his wide flank reached Chandler. As with his winning goal in Hoffenheim, the German-American climbed up and headed the ball onto the opposing goal. But this time the goalkeeper – Koubek – fought back with great effort.
This scene was like a starting shot. Suddenly the Frankfurters developed more pull and determination to the Augsburg gate. You were quickly rewarded. Kohr played an exact pass into the penalty area on Chandler, and the midfielder again proved his final strength – this time with his foot. He shot the ball without stopping, powerfully into the corner of the goal, although he was pressed by an opponent.
Second half intoxicated
The 1-0 released almost all tactical bonds. In the eight minutes until the break whistle, more happened in both penalty areas than in the 37 minutes before. Niederlechner initially proved his class when he fooled Ilsanker and Hasebe in the five-meter space, but then the Augsburg striker would have played better than daring a shot from an acute angle that missed the goal. In the 45th minute Finnbogason opened the big chance for equalization for the FCA, but he failed from close range at the foot of the wonderfully responsive Trapp.
The game shouldn’t calm down again. With the restart, it was to the delight of the audience that Eintracht developed the risk of scoring – the first thing again by Chandler. The 29-year-old, who in his ten-year professional career had never been noticed by exceptional marksmanship, increased to 2: 0 in the 48th minute. In the manner of a goal scorer, he headed the ball from an acute angle into the goal triangle after a corner from Kostic. It is rare for a Bundesliga professional to recommend the goal of the month with two magic goals within ten minutes of play. For Chandler, it was the fourth goal in the fourth season of the second round.
“It is really an incredible feeling. I hope there will be a few more goals, ”said Chandler at“ DAZN ”after the game. “My first double pack in the Bundesliga. Madness!”
The Augsburgers had no choice but to take the risk to somehow take a point from Frankfurt with them. It quickly became apparent that they are less familiar with risk management than with security management. The counterattacks they offered to Eintracht were huge. Frankfurt took advantage of one of their first opportunities to 3-0. Kostic flanked, Silva beheaded and the initially hard-fought and balanced argument was decided in the 55th minute.
Augsburg struggled to score a goal until the final whistle, but Eintracht came closer to 4-0 in their numerous counterattacks than FCA 1: 3. After all, it was Kostic who scored in the 89th minute and also made the 5-0 final result just one minute later.
“If you lose 0: 5, no matter against whom, it is always difficult,” said Augsburg’s striker Alfred Finnbogason. “We can expect a long trip back to Augsburg, so we can think about it.”
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