Golden October
After the international break at the start of October, Eintracht travelled to Hannover 96. The promoted side had been in fine form but Niko Kovac’s men claimed a deserved 2-1 win thanks to a superb low volley from Ante Rebic in the closing stages. It was their third win in five away games and lifted them up to seventh in the table. The triumph at Hannover was also the starting point for the side’s best spell of the season. Having fought back from 2-0 down to salvage a point in a spectacular game at home to Borussia Dortmund, the Eagles also picked up a point at Mainz with a 1-1 draw, ending the month unbeaten. Eintracht also progressed to the last 16 of the DFB Cup in October thanks to a 4-0 win at regional league side Schweinfurt.
Unbeaten run ends in November
November also started well: the Eagles beat Werder Bremen 2-1 at home thanks to another late winner, this time from leading scorer Sébastien Haller. After an international break, SGE then travelled to Hoffenheim and for a long time it looked like they were heading for another three points. Kevin-Prince Boateng’s 13th-minute strike had given Eintracht the lead but Mark Uth converted one of the hosts’ few chances to make it 1-1 in second-half injury time. The draw extended the Eagles’ unbeaten run in the Bundesliga to six games but that run came to an end one week later with a 1-0 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen, despite an improved performance in the second half.
Packed December
Kovac’s side faced five matches in the space of 17 days in December. The first of those was a visit to Hertha BSC, where Boateng scored the winning goal against his boyhood club in a 2-1 success. Eintracht went into their next fixture against Bayern Munich with confidence and started well, yet it was the Reds who took the lead in the 20th minute with virtually their first effort of the game from Arturo Vidal. The Eagles had Bayern camped in their own half after the break and ended the match with 51% possession and twice as many shots on goal, but they couldn’t find the equaliser they deserved. Eintracht returned to winning ways just three days later, beating Hamburg 2-1 in midweek. In the final Bundesliga match of the year, they conceded two late goals in a dramatic 2-2 draw at home to Schalke 04 and thus ended a strong first half of the season in eighth place with 26 points.
Quarter-final place as Christmas present
However, SGE were able to end 2017 on a high. In their DFB Cup last-16 tie at Bundesliga 2 side Heidenheim, the Eagles battled to a 2-1 win in extra-time, with goals from Mijat Gacinovic and Haller securing their quarter-final spot. Remarkably, Eintracht did not let in more than two goals in any game during the first half of the season and also conceded the fewest big chances of any Bundesliga side, while they also didn’t lose any game by a margin of more than one goal.
