Frankfurt/Main (dpa) – Eintracht Frankfurt has stopped the successful series of second division leaders Darmstadt 98 in a rapid Hessen derby and for the 19th time bought the ticket for the quarter-finals in the DFB Cup. The Bundesliga soccer club won the six-goal spectacle on Tuesday evening 4: 2 (2: 2) and inflicted the 20-time undefeated Lilien their first competitive defeat since July 16, 2022.
In front of 49,500 spectators in the sold-out Frankfurt Arena, Randal Kolo Muani (6th/90th minute), Rafael Borré (44th) and Daichi Kamada (62nd) scored the goals for Eintracht, which is now in three competitions and came a step closer to the long-term goal of Berlin. Mathias Honsak (29th/31st) scored twice for the second division leaders.
The outsider from Darmstadt started courageously and tried to develop his own offensive actions. But the guests were caught off guard with the first Eintracht attack. Aurelio Buta crossed from the right into the middle, where Kolo Muani headed freely and passed Lilien goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen with an arc lamp into the far corner. It was the 13th goal in a competitive game for the French runners-up, who joined Eintracht from FC Nantes on a free transfer last summer.
Just five minutes after taking the lead, Rafael Borré, who had replaced the injured Jesper Lindström in the starting XI, could have made the difference. But the completely free Colombian shot the ball over the goal from seven meters. The preliminary work had come from Buta again.
A little later there was a moment of shock when Darmstadt’s Jannik Müller and Frankfurt’s Tuta crashed their heads in an aerial duel and lay dazed. After a break in treatment, however, both were able to continue with a head bandage.
Frankfurt continued to dominate the game and came up with the next big opportunity through Mario Götze. After a pass from winter newcomer Philipp Max, the 2014 world champion failed at close range because of shoes. This usury of chances should take revenge, because the second division turned the game around with a double strike within two minutes. Both times, Honsak, who had scored twice in the most recent 4-0 win in Sandhausen, used a lack of attention on Eintracht’s defense.
The favorites seemed shocked and then made further weaknesses, which Darmstadt almost used for the third goal. However, Phillip Tietz missed in a promising position. At the other end, Kolo Muani missed the equalizer with a header, which came before the break. Captain Sebastian Rode passed Götze, who passed it straight on to Borré and the attacker kept his nerve this time and completed the shot.
The first dangerous offensive action after the change belonged to the guests. Fabian Schnellhardt shot from 25 meters, but the ball just missed the post. After almost an hour, the lilies were lucky when Rode headed next to the goal. Eintracht celebrated shortly afterwards: Kolo Muani put his head down to Kamada and the Japanese shot the ball into the corner from 17 meters.
However, Darmstadt did not give up. Tietz (65th) only hit the post from close range, and shortly afterwards Marvin Mehlem even hit the goal. The midfielder was ruled offside. Then it was Frankfurt’s turn again. Buta lobbed the ball over shoes, but Fabian Holland cleared in front of the line.
Honsak missed the equalizer fifteen minutes before the end, so there was no surprise at the end. The in-form Kolo Muani made everything clear with a counterattack shortly before the end.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:230207-99-510606/3
