Kaua Santos makes comeback
Dino Toppmöller made three changes from the 5-1 win over Galatasaray. Kaua Santos made his comeback five months after tearing his cruciate ligament, replacing Michael Zetterer in goal. Jean-Mattéo Bahoya and Elye Wahi were also preferred to Ansgar Knauff and Jonathan Burkardt.
Early lead for Union
Eintracht had the first chance of the match with Nathaniel Brown’s effort from distance, but Frederik Rönnow prevented an early goal against his former club.
Instead, it was the visitors who struck first in the ninth minute. Multiple mistakes by the Eintracht defence allowed Ilyas Ansah to collect the ball 20 metres from goal, and he found the left corner with a low shot.
Rönnow denies Uzun
Toppmöller’s side then seized control of the match, while Union looked to protect their lead in a 5-3-2 system. Can Uzun found a gap in the Berliners’ defence after 20 minutes, but Rönnow saved his low shot.
Union go 2-0 up
Eintracht were then hit on the counter after a throw-in on 32 minutes, with the pacey Oliver Burke clinically finishing to make it 2-0.
Brown nets for Eagles
Wahi missed the opportunity to reduce the deficit from close range in the 43rd minute, but the Eagles got their deserved goal in the fourth minute of added time, as Brown’s strike from distance was deflected into the Union net by Uzun.
Defensive errors punished
Eintracht again made too many defensive mistakes in the second half and were punished immediately. In the 53rd minute, Burke made it 3-1 after Nnamdi Collins had lost possession and just three minutes later, the Scotsman put Union 4-1 up with his third goal.
Uzun pulls one back
Frankfurt struggled for a long time to find a way back into the contest against the defensively solid visitors, but Uzun eventually made it 4-2 in the 80th minute to set up a tense finale.
Burkardt gives Eintracht hope
Eintracht kept their foot on the pedal and when Burkardt earned and scored a penalty in the 87th minute to reduce the deficit to one, the excitement increased at Deutsche Bank Park. The Eagles threw everything forward in one last effort during the frantic and fiery stoppage time, but couldn’t salvage anything in the end.
