Bundesliga: In the end, Eintracht made it clear in a 5-1 win over Leverkusen

AWhen the spectacle was over in front of 49,700 enthusiastic visitors and Oliver Glasner answered question after question, he was in the best of spirits at the end of the interview marathon. “It was a well-deserved victory,” said the Frankfurt soccer coach.

The reason for an all-round successful day was the appearance of his team. In the end it was 5:1 for Eintracht against the weak professionals from Leverkusen Bayer-Kreuz, who have been looking for the form of previous years for weeks and are currently busy getting out of the threatening relegation zone as soon as possible in sixth place in the table. “We have problems,” said the new Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso after the debacle at Eintracht. “There is no excuse for our appearance.”

For the Eintracht game, for Daichia Kamada (45th minute +5), Randal Kolo Muani (58th), Jesper Lindström (65th), Kamada again with the second converted penalty (72nd) and Lucas Alario (86th minute). ) scored the goals when Piero Hincapie (56th) conceded, there is a lot of praise. “The whole team did a great job,” said Glasner. “Today I’m going to bed very satisfied.”

Jakic convinced

The most urgent question in terms of personnel was answered quickly. Instead of Makoto Hasebe, who will be out in the coming weeks due to a torn inner ligament, Eintracht coach Glasner has entrusted Croatian Kristijan Jakic with management tasks. Jakic was in charge of the three-man defense chain for the first time – and he did it extremely well. Eric Junior Ebimbe, deployed on the right-wing defensive post, also prevented the Bayer attackers from developing.

Glasner was convinced that “the boys are absolutely fresh and make a great impression mentally”. That’s his assessment after Wednesday’s 3-2 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League. And indeed: unlike last week at the embarrassing 0: 3 in Bochum, the Frankfurt soccer pros were always wide awake and on the ball.

Already in the fifth minute it was Mario Götze, who was back in the starting XI, who took his first shot. Fellow striker Kolo Muani, who played a strong game, could have given Eintracht the lead, but Hincapie tackled at the right moment (9′).

It wasn’t the Leverkusen side, who had been highly praised for years, who took the initiative with their fast attackers, but the Hessians. The next good opportunity presented itself in the 14th minute. Lindström’s shot landed right in the arms of the alert Bayer keeper Lukas Hradecky.

Undeterred Kolo Muani

The lead for Frankfurt was overdue, but it was still a long time coming. The best Leverkusen player also had his feet in the game in the 28th minute, when Kolo Muani brilliantly played a one-two with Lindström. Hradecky made another splendid save. With the first serious attack, the Bayer pros almost made it 1-0.

Moussa Diaby, who had got through on the left, found Jeremie Frimpong with his cross. The Dutchman scored a volley, Kevin Trapp in the Frankfurt goal was lucky because the shot bounced off the crossbar (33′). On the other hand, it was Kolo Muani, undeterred in his chances of scoring, who kept trying. Again, however, it was Hradecky who stopped the French (41st).

Hradecky also played a crucial role in the most exciting scene of the first half. He was challenged in a duel against Kolo Muani, who took a penalty kick that Edmond Tapsoba owed to Lindström – and failed at the Finn.

But because Hradecky was in front of the goal line and ran forward before taking the shot, referee Frank Willenborg had the shot repeated from eleven meters after the intervention of the video assistant. This time Kamada tried – and the Japanese did much better than Kolo Muani. 1:0 – the lead that Eintracht deserved was finally there.

Not the last word

After the change of sides, the game turned into a spectacle. Three goals were scored in a short space of time. One for Bayer, which Hincapie headed after a free-kick from substitute Kerem Demirbay (56′) – and two for Eintracht. The outstanding Kolo Muani hit his head after preparatory work by Christopher Lenz (58th). Lindström with a solo run, crowned by a clever lob over Hradecky, increased to 3:1 (65th).

It shouldn’t have been Eintracht’s last word in this enchanting second half of the game. Because the video assistant was asked for advice again after a foul was not given, Eintracht received the second penalty. Again it was Kamada who fooled Hradecky and completed the 4:1 (72nd).

Four minutes later, Kolo Muani used the back heel when Lindström made a superb cross. But Eintracht goal number five did not materialize at this point. When Glasner took out Lindstrom, Kolo Muani and Djibril Sow shortly afterwards, the spectators rose from their seats to stand and pay their respects.

The fans who sympathized with Eintracht could have stood still, because a short time later there was another reason to be happy. Substitute Alario was free to increase the score to 5:1 (86′). Rafael Borré, who also came into the game, unselfishly pushed the ball to him.

When the Frankfurt victory was perfect and the players went on a lap of honor, Markus Krösche said in his analysis: “We were in control.” Of course, the sports director of Eintracht was right. The Frankfurters were superior to the tumbling Leverkuseners in many respects.

“Football is like that sometimes,” said the disappointed Bayer professional Demirbay. “What happened last season no longer interests anyone.” What counts is the here and now. Bayer is currently in the middle of a relegation battle – and Eintracht, fourth in the table, is back in the zone that arouses international desires, at least until this Sunday.