Oliver Glasner made just one enforced change to his starting line-up following Tuesday’s historic 2-1 win at Sporting CP in the Champions League. Daichi Kamada was absent due to illness, so captain Sebastian Rode returned in midfield.
Eagles recover from bad start
There were just 35 seconds on the clock when Augsburg scored the opening goal. Ermedin Demirovic came out on top in a duel and fed Mergim Berisha, whose well-placed shot was out of Kevin Trapp’s reach. However, the Eagles got over that early shock and levelled 12 minutes later through Rode, who swept home after Jesper Lindström allowed Junior Dina Ebimbe’s cut-back to run through. Djibril Sow almost made it a complete turnaround four minutes later, but his effort from distance was diverted behind by Rafal Gikiewicz.
The game calmed down a bit after that explosive start but both sides had one clear-cut chance each to take the lead before half-time. Dina Ebimbe did everything right bar the finish, winning a challenge and then racing into the penalty area before shooting straight at Gikiewicz. The hosts came to life at the end of the first half and Trapp had to produce a world-class reflex save to deny Demirovic from point-blank range, before Julian Baumgartlinger volleyed just wide.
Super sub Knauff
In contrast to the first half, Frankfurt made the better start to the second period, with half-time substitute Ansgar Knauff making an immediate impact as his shot was palmed away by Gikiewicz. Randal Kolo Muani then nearly played in Dina Ebimbe, but Augsburg defender Mads Pedersen got back just in time to put it behind for a corner.
Eintracht continued to look the more likely to take the lead, although Gikiewicz wasn’t called into action again until he pushed away Lindström’s free-kick from a good position. Moments later, the Eagles made their superiority count when a corner was only cleared as far as Knauff, whose volley into the ground bobbled past several bodies – taking a slight deflection on the way – and into the bottom corner for his first goal of the campaign.
Augsburg had chances to equalise after that, with Berisha heading over, Demirovic again being denied by Trapp from close range and then blasting over in space. Eintracht defended their lead cleverly in the closing stages, though, and could even have extended it, Kolo Muani hitting the post after rounding Gikiewicz and substitute Lucas Alario going close in stoppage time.
Summary: Winning mentality
Eintracht have sometimes struggled in league games directly after European matches in midweek, but that was not the case today as they dug in to come from behind and take three points from a tricky assignment in Augsburg. The Eagles thus remain fifth in the table ahead of the final two games of the year.
SGE line-up
Trapp – Tuta, Jakic, Ndicka – Dina Ebimbe (Alidou 65’), Rode (Smolcic 64’), Sow, Pellegrini (Knauff 46’) – Lindström (Borré 64’), Götze – Kolo Muani (Alario 88’)
Goals
1-0 Berisha (1’)
1-1 Rode (13’)
1-2 Knauff (64’)
