The Eagles responded magnificently to Brian Brobbey’s early opener and were perhaps a little unfortunate not to end the first half with a slender lead after Larsson’s deserved equaliser. Skhiri’s first goal of the season put Eintracht ahead with 20 minutes remaining, and the visitors held on to claim a hugely valuable win ahead of the return leg at Deutsche Bank Park next Thursday.
Recalls for Tuta, Collins and Bahoya
Dino Toppmöller made three alterations to the team that lost to Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the Bundesliga last weekend, bringing in Tuta, Nnamdi Collins and Jean-Mattéo Bahoya. Nathaniel Brown and Elye Wahi were named on the bench, while Robin Koch was unavailable with mild concussion.
Eagles fight back after early setback
The home side roared out of the traps at the Johan Cruijff ArenA and almost took the lead after just 90 seconds, Brobbey turning Tuta on the edge of the area before sending a low drive against the foot of the post. The Brazilian centre-back managed to get in the way of another Brobbey effort three minutes later, but the striker was left unmarked to nod home from close range after a Jordan Henderson cross was deflected into his path.
Eintracht responded brilliantly, though. After denying Ansgar Knauff in a one-v-one just two minutes after Brobbey’s opener, goalkeeper Remko Pasveer kept out Bahoya’s low drive from the edge of the box before being forced off with an apparent groin injury.
Ajax’s stand-in keeper Jay Gorter’s first task was to pick the ball out of his own net after Larsson steered a shot into the bottom corner – via a slight deflection off Ajax goalscorer Brobbey. Rasmus Kristensen sent a powerful drive just wide of the far post before Larsson had another goal-bound effort save by Gorter five minutes before the break as Eintracht ended the first half firmly in the ascendancy.
Skhiri wins it for Eagles
The home side managed to stem the flow of Eintracht attacks early in the second half and were soon denied a second goal by Kevin Trapp, who was equal to another Brobbey strike from a tight angle. Ekitiké sent a left-footed shot narrowly past the post in Eintracht’s first real chance of the second period, before Skhiri completed the turnaround with a close-range finish from Knauff’s square ball.
Kian Fitz-Jim fizzed a volley off target and Don-Angelo Konadu was close to getting on the end of a low cross from the left-hand side, but Toppmöller’s charges held firm to claim a famous victory in the Dutch capital.