19.09.2021
Bundesliga

Eagles claim point in Wolfsburg

There was no separating Eintracht and VfL at the Volkswagen Arena. Sam Lammers gave Frankfurt a half-time lead, only for Wout Weghorst to equalise after the break.

Sam Lammers scored his first Bundesliga goal.

Lammers’ thunderous finish put the Eagles ahead against Mark van Bommel’s high-flying Wolves, but Weghorst eventually broke Eintracht’s resistance with a close-range finish. The visitors’ search for a first league win of the season continues, but there were plenty of positives in Sunday’s performance.

Eagles unchanged

Oliver Glasner kept faith with the team that started Thursday’s UEFA Europa League draw at home to Fenerbahce. Erik Durm continued to deputise for the injured Christopher Lenz at left-back, but Martin Hinteregger was fit enough to take his place in the starting XI despite hurting his shoulder in the 1-1 draw.

Lammers opens Bundesliga account

Unsurprisingly perhaps given the two clubs’ respective positions in the table, Wolfsburg started on the front foot and twice went close to breaking the deadlock inside the opening 20 minutes. Kevin Mbabu fired wide after playing a one-two with Luca Waldschmidt, before Weghorst thumped a header against the crossbar from an inswinging corner.

Having weathered the early Wolfsburg storm, Eintracht gradually started to cause one or two problems of their own. Lammers’ header from Filip Kostic’s free kick was clawed to safety by VfL goalkeeper Koen Casteels, with Kostic himself going close to getting on the end of Rafael Borré’s teasing cross moments later. The Serbian winger played a key role in the Eagles’ opener seven minutes before the break, lofting in a cross from the left which Lammers thumped into the corner for his second goal in as many games.

Weghorst ends Eintracht’s resistance

Weghorst spurned a golden opportunity to restore parity early in the second half, blazing over the bar after latching onto Dodi Lukebakio’s cross towards the far post. Kevin Trapp was forced into action soon afterwards as the hosts continued to push for an equaliser, palming Lukebakio’s powerful drive out of harm’s way.

Trapp punched Maximilian Arnold’s goalbound free kick to safety before producing a marvellous stop to deny Waldschmidt, but there was nothing the Germany international goalkeeper could do to prevent Weghorst from steering home the rebound. Josuha Guilavogui was next to test Trapp’s reflexes with a low drive and Weghorst had a goal ruled out for offside in stoppage time, but Eintracht held on to claim a share of the spoils.

Summary: A positive performance and result

Having said before the game that he was a glass-half-full person, Glasner is unlikely to be too disappointed with Sunday’s stalemate at the Volkswagen Arena, which stretches Eintracht’s run of consecutive draws to five matches in all competitions. The Eagles become the first team this season to take points off Wolfsburg in the league, and on another day might have snatched a victory.

SGE line-up

Trapp – Da Costa, Hinteregger, Ndicka, Durm – Sow (Ilsanker 82'), Jakic – Borré, Kamada (Hrustic 82'), Kostic (Lindström 72') – Lammers (Hauge 72')

Goals

0-1 Lammers (38')
1-1 Weghorst (70')