Former Augsburg defender Hinteregger opened the scoring with a close-range finish eight minutes before the interval, before Filip Kostic teed up Silva to double Eintracht’s lead. Alfred Finnbogason missed a second-half penalty for the visitors as the Eagles delivered the perfect response to Saturday’s defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Hinti returns
The Eagles made two changes to the team that lost at Borussia-Park at the weekend. Timothy Chandler was preferred to Erik Durm on the right-hand side, while Hinteregger returned to defence after shaking off a troublesome thigh injury. The centre-back replaced compatriot Stefan Ilsanker in Adi Hütter’s starting XI.
Eintracht edge in front
The first opportunity of the match fell Eintracht’s way after just five minutes, Silva beating his marker to Evan Ndicka’s left-wing cross but heading straight at Augsburg goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz. It was far from one-way traffic, however – Marco Richter tested Kevin Trapp’s reflexes from the edge of the box a few minutes later, before Laszlo Benes’ well-struck shot was tipped over the crossbar by the Eagles custodian.
Silva’s header from a trademark Kostic delivery was saved by Gikiewicz, but Eintracht were in front moments later as Hinteregger beat Reece Oxford and Felix Uduokhai to Daichi Kamada’s cross before nodding into the net from close range. Kostic had a chance to double Eintracht’s lead in the final minute of the half but the Serbian’s free-kick was blocked by the Augsburg wall.
Kostic and Silva combine
Hütter’s side made a bright start to the second half and went close to doubling their lead when Chandler’s header from another Kostic cross landed on the roof of the net. When they did finally make it 2-0, it was from a familiar source: Kostic latched onto Rode’s pass before lifting the ball into the area for Silva, who headed home his 24th league goal of the campaign.
Augsburg were handed a lifeline with just under 20 minutes remaining when Tuta was adjudged to have used his arm to clear a deep cross into the Eagles’ penalty area. FCA substitute Finnbogason stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick, only to lift his effort tamely over Trapp’s crossbar. Ruben Vargas struck the post for the visitors late on, but Eintracht held on comfortably to climb seven points clear of fifth-placed Borussia Dortmund.
Summary: Back to winning ways
Hütter wanted a reaction from his players after Eintracht’s defeat at Gladbach, and that’s exactly what he got. It took the Eagles a while to get going against a resolute Augsburg side, but once Hinteregger had opened the scoring it was hard to envisage any other outcome than a routine SGE victory.
SGE line-up
Trapp – Tuta, Hinteregger (Hasebe 46’), Ndicka – Chandler (Durm 88’), Sow (Ilsanker 79’), Rode, Kostic – Kamada (Barkok 82’) – Jovic (Younes 79’), Silva
Goals
1-0 Hinteregger (37’)
2-0 Silva (58’)
