Frankfurt / Main (dpa) – Shortly after the final whistle, the strength was not even enough to cheer. Led by match winner Lars Stindl, the professionals from Borussia Mönchengladbach dragged themselves into the dressing room.
The 3: 3 (1: 3) on Tuesday evening at Eintracht Frankfurt revealed how much the Champions League participant is struggling with the stress of the past few weeks. After all: Thanks to Stindl, the team of coach Marco Rose, who is allegedly courted by Borussia Dortmund, did not lose.
“We invested everything and brought it to the pitch emotionally. If we had played a few minutes longer, we might have won, ”said the 32-year-old, who scored twice in the wild final phase (90./foul penalty and 90. + 4).
Before that, Stindl had also put the guests in the lead. But after the goals of the strong André Silva (22nd / penalty and 24th) and Aymen Barkok (32nd), Eintracht had long looked like the winner. But now Frankfurt is still waiting for the first victory since the beginning of October. “It’s a huge disappointment,” said Amin Younes. “The 3: 3 feels like a defeat.”
On Saturday, Borussia will play against Hoffenheim, while SGE will compete in Augsburg – but without David Abraham, who saw the yellow-red card (81st).
Gladbach’s sports director Max Eberl reacted calmly to speculations about his successful coach and the open position at Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season just before kick-off. At the moment the probability is “very high” that Rose will stay on the Lower Rhine beyond the summer, said Eberl at Sky, this is currently even “99 percent”. Subsequently, the sports director of the Champions League round of 16 saw a weak first half of his team.
The guests determined the initial phase. Defense chief Matthias Ginter, one of the few who had started against Hertha BSC (1-1) three days ago, missed the first chance to take the lead early (4th) and Stindl wonderfully converted a free kick from 22 meters straight into his fifth goal of the season. Eintracht, which had started eight Bundesliga games without a win, quickly found its way back into the game.
First, Stefan Lainer caused the hand penalty when Martin Hinteregger shot, which Silva easily converted. 168 seconds later, the Portuguese hit after a quick free kick from Frankfurt deep from their own half against the surprised Gladbacher. And Barkok danced the defense of the guests in the penalty area with almost impressive nonchalance in front of his goal to make it 3-1. Rarely has Eintracht appeared so enthusiastically this season as in this phase.
Borussia was under the strain of the successful English weeks in the European Cup. Yann Sommer, who returned to the Gladbacher Tor after overcoming adductor problems, was always challenged. Silva missed the fourth Frankfurt goal in the 56th minute – as did the former Gladbacher Younes free in the Gladbach penalty area (64th).
The Rose team struggled to make the game well into the second half. The Frankfurt team remained the more dangerous team and waited for the final decisive goal. Stindl made the final phase exciting again, Barkok caused the penalty kick – and then let his team cheer.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 201215-99-706356 / 3
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