Eintracht Frankfurt suffered a serious setback in the Bundesliga in the race for places in the Champions League.
Coach Oliver Glasner’s team lost 3-0 (0-0) after a poor performance at 1. FC Köln on Sunday, top scorer Randal Kolo Muani was unlucky this time. The Hessians missed the jump back to fourth place. (DATA: Bundesliga results)
“I’m not used to losing a game anymore,” Glasner explained DAZN. “I’m really mad at us, although I think we were better between the two penalty areas, but you don’t win a game there.” (DATA: The table of the Bundesliga)
Double pack by Skhiri for Cologne
Glasner added: “Cologne were better in both penalty areas – even with set pieces. We were often in promising situations, but the last decision wasn’t good enough. Cologne got the momentum from taking the lead, so the win is okay.”
“We never managed to get the decisive ball in the last third,” said Frankfurt’s Sebastian Rode. “Then we’ll be chasing a deficit, that’s extremely difficult in Cologne.”
Central defender Timo Hübers (49′) and director Ellyes Skhiri (71′, 86′) gave FC the deserved victory, which also meant the end of the Frankfurt series.
Hübers: “It was really fun today”
The Champions League round of 16 had gone nine games in a row before and fell to sixth place. Cologne, on the other hand, remain undefeated in the new year and are in eleventh place.
“It was really fun today, home games are always highlights here,” said Hübers. “Eintracht plays very well if you let them. We therefore continued to set accents and were active in order not to let them get involved in their game in the first place.”
Shortly before the club’s 75th birthday on Monday, the Cologne fans covered their curves with a huge choreography. Captain Jonas Hector and Co. worked relentlessly on the pitch in anniversary jerseys.
However, the guests seized control of the game, playing their dreaded short passing game but not getting into dangerous positions at first. (NEWS: All current information about the Bundesliga)
After a quarter of an hour, the focus was again on the video evidence. Eric Martel had cleared a corner with his left arm, which was in place but actively moving towards the ball, before Kolo Muani was ready to score. According to the TV images, referee Daniel Siebert did not award a penalty. “When I see that: clear penalty, but there are also days for us,” explained Glasner.
Kolo Muani misses the lead for Frankfurt
A little later, Frankfurt striker Kolo Muani broke through, but just before the goal, Cologne’s Benno Schmitz shoved the ball off his foot – the Cologne supporters celebrated their defender boisterously.
But the Rhinelanders also appeared dangerously in front of national goalkeeper Kevin Trapp in front of 50,000 spectators in the Müngersdorfer Stadion.
The hosts got off to a flying start in the second half. After a short corner, Florian Kainz sent a sharp cross into the six-yard box, where defender Hübers headed in. Shortly thereafter, Evan Ndicka had to save Frankfurt from FC striker Steffen Tigges in dire need.
Eintracht now had their problems finding their way back into the game. Cologne defended passionately. Glasner brought in another attacker in Rafael Borré after an hour. But instead of getting stuck in front, the guests ran into counterattacks.
The courted Skhiri, who allegedly also attracted the interest of the Frankfurters, used one of the first. After that, four days before Altweiber, the FC fans were in a carnival mood, and Skhiri went one better.
With Sports Information Service (SID)
