It was 1-1 at the break after Andre Silva (29’) cancelled out Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s opener (15’), and it was looking good for Eintracht when Evan Ndicka put them 2-1 up (51’). However, Schalke hit back with three goals in just over 10 minutes, and although Silva pulled one back – setting a new club record with his 27th goal of the season – the Eagles left empty-handed in a big blow to their Champions League hopes.
Three alterations
Adi Hütter made three changes to his starting line-up following last Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Mainz, with Ndicka, Timothy Chandler and Amin Younes coming in for Sebastian Rode, Erik Durm and Luka Jovic.
Silva equals record
Eintracht began the match on the front foot, but it was the hosts who created the first opening when Huntelaar volleyed into the side netting from a tight angle. The Eagles fashioned their first chance in the ninth minute, with Chandler’s low shot from inside the area being blocked by the feet of Ralf Fährmann. From a subsequent free kick, Fährmann had to be alert to push a header from his own defender over the bar.
A few minutes later, Schalke were handed the opportunity to open the scoring when Tuta upended Amine Harit in the box. Huntelaar’s penalty was saved by Kevin Trapp, but the rebound fell kindly to the Dutchman and he stuck it away. Eintracht continued to probe in search of an equaliser but the Royal Blues were causing them problems with balls over the top, and another such pass on 25 minutes left Huntelaar one-on-one with Trapp, but the Eagles keeper stood up to it.
That proved to be an important save, as the Eagles levelled just a few minutes later. Younes floated a ball to the far post, which Fährmann came out for and missed, leaving Silva to head into the empty net. The visitors did have chances to take the lead before half-time, with Ndicka forcing a good save from Fährmann and Silva firing into the side netting, but it remained 1-1.
Pendulum swings
The Eagles started the second period well and got their reward in the 51st minute, when Ndicka headed in his third goal of the campaign from Daichi Kamada’s corner. The lead lasted a mere two minutes, though, Blendi Idrizi slotting past Trapp on the counter. And Schalke regained the advantage on the hour mark. With Djibril Sow down injured, the hosts were offered too much space in midfield and substitute Matthew Hoppe played in Florian Flick, who finished coolly past Trapp. It got worse just four minutes later, as Schalke again won possession in midfield and with the Eintracht defence outnumbered, Hoppe curled the ball past Trapp.
The Eagles did hit back and reduce the deficit in the 72nd minute, when Silva bundled the ball in from a goalmouth scramble to beat Bernd Hölzenbein’s record from the 1976/77 season. Frankfurt pushed on for an equaliser and earned a number of corners, but Silva (78’) and substitute Steven Zuber (79’) could not make the most of their opportunities and Schalke held on for the three points.
Summary: Defensive blunders punished
Eintracht again displayed their comeback qualities but left too many gaps at the back, which Schalke ruthlessly exploited. The result leaves the Eagles a point behind fourth-placed Dortmund, who play on Sunday, but it was not all bad news, as fifth place is now secured as a minimum, and Silva acquired his goal record.
SGE line-up
Trapp – Tuta (Ache 84’), Hinteregger, Ndicka (Rode 65’) – Chandler, Sow (Hrustic 65’), Hasebe, Kostic – Kamada (Jovic 67’), Younes (Zuber 67’) – Silva
Goals
1-0 Huntelaar (15’)
1-1 Silva (29’)
1-2 Ndicka (51’)
2-2 Idrizi (52’)
3-2 Flick (60’)
4-2 Hoppe (64’)
4-3 Silva (72’)
