Plea put Adi Hütter’s charges in front with just four minutes on the clock, but Paciencia’s second-half piledriver hauled the Eagles back on level terms. Daichi Kamada thought he had earned Oliver Glasner’s side all three points in the closing stages, but the Japanese’s effort was ruled out for offside.
Eintracht much-changed
Goalkeeper Kevin Trapp and centre-backs Tuta and Evan Ndicka were the only players to keep their place in the starting XI from Thursday’s UEFA Europa League victory over West Ham. Aymen Barkok, Danny da Costa and Stefan Ilsanker, who are leaving the club in the summer, were all handed starts in their final Eintracht appearance at Deutsche Bank Park.
Early setback
The game took only four minutes to spark into life as Gladbach, who came into the contest just a point above the Eagles in the standings, struck first through Plea. Stefan Lainer was given time and space to pick out the Frenchman, who beat Trapp from a central position for his ninth Bundesliga goal of the campaign.
Clear-cut opportunities remained few and far between after that as the game settled into an even contest. Ilsanker sent a header narrowly over the crossbar from Barkok’s corner just after the half-hour mark, before Paciencia failed to get a decisive touch on Sam Lammers’ delivery on the stroke of half-time.
Kamada denied dramatic winner
There was a flurry of chances for both teams at the beginning of the second period. Trapp prevented Breel Embolo from doubling Borussia’s lead with a smart save in a one-v-one situation, before Ilsanker had a goal-bound effort blocked on the line by Plea. Eintracht’s equaliser came in spectacular fashion with just under 25 minutes remaining, Paciencia rifling an unstoppable 25-yard strike into the top corner for his third league goal of the season.
Makoto Hasebe cleared Embolo’s effort off the line and Trapp thwarted Luca Netz in another one-v-one as the visitors sought an immediate reposte, but Glasner’s side almost snatched all three points themselves when Kamada bundled home a corner from point-blank range – only to be denied by an offside flag.
Summary: A fair result
Both teams could have emerged victorious after a frantic end to Eintracht’s final home game of the 2021/22 campaign, but Glasner will be pleased with the Eagles’ showing on the back of their Europa League efforts in midweek. Given the number of opportunities at both ends, neither side can have too many complaints at the outcome.
SGE line-up
Trapp – Tuta (Kostic 46’), Hasebe, Ndicka – Da Costa (Lenz 83’), Ilsanker (Sow 65’), Barkok (Hauge 58’), Chandler – Hrustic – Lammers (Kamada 58’), Paciencia
Goals
0-1 Plea (4’)
1-1 Paciencia (66’)
