Eintracht in front
Frankfurt got off to the perfect start when Benjamin Köhler's in-swinging cross mutated into an attempt on goal that Michael Ratajczak could only reflexively bat out as far Sebastian Jung, who rose to nod it back over the Düsseldorf keeper and into the net. Theofanis Gekas then had a great chance to make it 2-0 seven minutes later, racing clear after Fortuna centre back Assani Lukimya slipped up in possession, but the Greek frontman came off second-best one-on with Ratajczak.
Düsseldorf went close themselves at the other end a couple of minutes later, Sascha Rösler and Lukimya both failing to find the target from close range before Thomas Bröker fired a third attempt narrowly wide. Skipper Andreas Lambertz squandered the next opportunity for the visitors after being beautifully set up inside the box (18') and a minute later Rösler sent a free kick just past the post.
Beister pulls Fortuna level
Eintracht were seeing plenty of the ball in the high-tempo encounter, but Düsseldorf were looking razor-sharp on the break and in the 33rd minute Lambertz tried his luck with a tight-angled effort that home keeper Oka Nikolov had to push away for a corner.
Further half-chances fell at both ends before the interval, but it was Fortuna who came out for the second 45 on the front foot, no-one more so than Maximilian Beister. Three minutes in, the wide midfielder lobbed a knock-on from Rösler just over the bar and two minutes later he went down in the box under a challenge from Bamba Anderson, the referee waving play on. Then, in the 54th minute, Beister slipped past Eintracht centre back Gordon Schildenfeld and fired home low past Nikolov to tie the contest.
Ratajczak saves the point
That was the call to arms to get Eintracht back up the field and Köhler (61') and Gekas (67') both had potshots on the visiting goal before Anderson saw his goalbound 73rd-minute header from a corner cleared short of the line by Fortuna left back Johannes van den Bergh.
Frankfurt kept up the pressure and Gekas pulled a fine save out of Ratajczak with a shot from around the level of the penalty spot in the 84th minute. The win was not to be though for the hosts on the night and their disappointment was compounded when playmaker Alexander Meier was sent off with a couple of minutes to go for a second bookable offence.
