The tension in the duel around the German Football Championship remains guaranteed at least for the moment. Bayer Leverkusen, the most serious competitor of leader Bayern Munich, achieved an important victory on Saturday evening, which at the same time kept a pursuer at a distance: the defending champion prevailed 4-1 against Eintracht at the appearance in Frankfurt.
Since the Munich team had also successfully completed their away game in Stuttgart the day before, Bayern's lead as the table first of the Bundesliga are still ten game days before Ultimo eight points before the Werkelf (61 to 53). As the third in the classification, the Hesse failed to make up for the ground. Due to the second home defeat of the season, her yield remained with 42 points, which in her ambitions have to be prepared for the qualification for the Champions League on a closer competition with the Rhine-Main rivals from Mainz (41).
Koch has to be replaced prematurely to comeback
Trainer Dino Toppmöller, who usually likes to avoid talking about individual players so that the team concept could get out of focus, had exceptionally recognized his joy through a comeback – and thus linked increased expectations. After one month of a break, Robin Koch was available again because of a shoulder injury, which his coach combined with the confidence that the central defender could ensure a plus of defensive “stability”, which was sufficiently missing in Munich, especially on the last February Sunday (0: 4).
But also with the defense chief, who had to be replaced prematurely after a collision (71.), the Frankfurters quickly got into the Bredouille under the constant pressing print.
Initiated by Florian Wirtz and Granit Xhaka, who were always one step ahead in the Leverkusen midfield, withdrawn through a body decree or a sprint of guard, created overpayment situations or switched directly to attack, shifted the action almost exclusively in half of the Hesse after a few minutes. Eintracht only get relief attacks if Bayer had a tick to Lax on his ball relays; But Hugo Ekitiké was unable to capitalize on the False Pass, which made Aleix Garcia, because his shot passed the goal at the top right (10th).
And then the Bayer artist collective turned up with power. At the presentation of Xhaka, who steered the ball flat, precisely and with the necessary speed past Ellyes Skhiri into the gap that Koch and Arthur Theat had opened, Nathan Tella pulled off the run by goalkeeper Kevin Trapp to 1-0 for Leverkusen (26th). After a corner kick kicked by Garcia, Nordi Mukiele reacted faster than three Frankfurters who stood around him and increased to 2-0 (30th). Another 180 seconds followed the third prank of the ensemble of coach Xabi Alonso: Alejandro Grimaldo and Xhaka, which was almost error -free in this phase, prepared the chance that Patrick Schick completed (33.).
What annoyed the perfectionist footballer Alonso was the subsequent scene, which the Eintracht (temporarily) brought back a spark of residual hope: Mukiele's back pass on keeper Lukas Hradecky was too short, which was suspended in between, sprinted in between and had no trouble in short distance and reduced the deficit to two goals (37th).
With the acceptance of Oscar Höjlund (for Larsson) and Namdi Collins (for Knauff), the physical element in his troop strengthened at the second half because he was not hidden that Leverkusen could repeat himself without any noteworthy resistance. But even in a new personnel combination, the next neck strike could not be prevented. Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong once again increased the speed so much that they got rid of all Frankfurt companions and staged the Garcia, which was free in the back room, which completed to 4: 1 (62.).
This lead, which made it clear with a sovereign duel management, which showed much of the mature and the grown self -image of the team, Alonso's selection (in which Wirtz and Xhaka were taken off prematurely by their trainer so that they could protect strength) without greater effort over time. Already this Wednesday for Leverkusen in the round of 16 of the Champions League in Munich is a pioneering match in this second half of the season. It is then rather not to be expected with a sure -fire success like in Frankfurt.
