20 minutes and a 0:2 deficit was what Eintracht Frankfurt needed – then the Hessians played big and dismantled Bayer Leverkusen in impressive fashion with 5:2. Djibril Sow had a particularly turbulent day at work.
Frankfurt coach Oliver Glasner opted for three fresh players after the 1-1 draw with Fenerbahce in the Europa League. Hinteregger moved into the defensive centre for Hasebe, da Costa took over from Chandler on the right wing and in the offensive Lindström started for Hauge.
Bayer coach Gerardo Seoane had rotated a lot during the week in the 1-0 Europa League defeat at Ferencvaros Budapest – no fewer than nine players came into the team fresh today. However, with a view to the last Bundesliga matchday in the 7:1 over Fürth, there was only one change: Aranguiz started for Palacios.
5000th penalty – 1000th shooter
There was almost no time to take a deep breath in the first 45 minutes. Leverkusen got off to the perfect start – Bayer once again played to their counter-attacking strengths, taking Frankfurt by surprise and successfully completing a beautiful move with Schick to take the lead as early as the 5th minute. Eintracht was still not really in the game after that, the Werkself solved many things playfully and kept up the pressure. The great opportunity to make it 2:0 then came via video referee.
Sow played the ball with his hand in the penalty area and referee Fritz, after watching the pictures, decided on a penalty – the 5000th penalty kick in the Bundesliga altogether. A jubilee was not enough in this case, however, as Schick stepped up from the spot for the first time, making him the 1000th shooter in league history. He then also converted – 2:0 thus after 22 minutes.
The 2:2 – just like in a textbook
The joy did not last long, however, as Tuta scored the equaliser in the direct counterattack after a scramble in the penalty area (23rd). This brought Eintracht back into the game, the Eagles were more gallant in the aftermath, took the game by the scruff of the neck, but also knew how to convince with their play at the decisive moment. The equaliser came as if from a textbook – the home side covered the entire pitch with only four contacts. Hinteregger played to Borré, who let the ball bounce and Sow played a perfectly timed dream pass into the path of Lindström on the halfway line, who finished ice-cold to make it 2:2 (29.), which was the score going into the break.
Leverkusen collapse
The 15-minute interruption did not take anything away from the momentum of the hosts, however. On the contrary, less than five minutes into the second period, the game was already turned around. After a corner by Kostic, Ndicka scored the 3:2 (50th). But that wasn’t all, the visitors were almost completely ineffective on the offensive, the Frankfurt team missed two promising attacks before Jakic increased the lead to 4:2 after a beautiful cross from Kostic (66). Now, at the latest, the Leverkusen back line fell apart and Frankfurt played themselves into a frenzy. Sow followed up his dream assist for the intermediate 2:2 with the correspondingly beautiful goal: From the edge of the penalty area, the Swiss shot the ball into the top right corner for 5:2 (76th) – which was also the final goal. In the last minutes, it was all about damage limitation for the Werkself against the relentless Frankfurt team.
The Bundesliga continues for both teams on Wednesday: Frankfurt visit Gladbach (6 p.m.), Bayer host TSG Hoffenheim.