Rode broke the deadlock with a close-range header, before Kamada doubled the visitors’ advantage with a deflected free-kick. Tiago Tomas cut the deficit late in the second half, but Kristijan Jakic clinched the win with a header of his own two minutes from time.
Skipper returns
Eintracht captain Rode started in place of Jesper Lindström in the only change from the 1-0 UEFA Champions League victory in Marseille on Tuesday. The Dane, who scored the only goal at the Stade Vélodrome, has been suffering with a cold of late.
Eintracht quickest out of the blocks
The Eagles started the brighter of the two teams and opened the scoring with just six minutes on the clock. VfB goalkeeper Florian Müller was equal to Kamada’s free-kick but was only able to clear the ball into the path of Rode, who steered a powerful header into the bottom corner.Oliver Glasner’s charges limited the hosts to very few clear-cut openings until eight minutes before the break, when Atakan Karazor headed narrowly over the crossbar following a corner. An equaliser at that stage would have been harsh on Eintracht, who were the better side in the first half but failed to make the most of a number of promising counter-attacking opportunities.
Eagles see it through
The home side went close again in the opening moments of the second half but Kevin Trapp’s outstretched leg prevented Silas’ low cross from reaching a team-mate. Eintracht won another free-kick in a promising position when Konstantinos Mavropanos felled Ansgar Knauff and Kamada made no mistake from the resulting set piece, beating Müller via a deflection off Waldemar Anton.
Mavropanos will be frustrated not to have pulled a goal back when he sent a free header off target but Tomas did give Stuttgart hope with 11 minutes remaining, drilling home from the edge of the penalty area. There was no denying Eintracht, though, as Jakic nodded a Kamada corner into the back of the net late on to clinch a third league win in four matches.
Summary: A deserved victory
There were plenty of opportunities at both ends in an entertaining encounter at the Mercedes-Benz Arena but Eintracht were worthy winners, having led the contest for 84 minutes. Kamada’s set pieces in particular played a vital role in the victory.
SGE line-up
Trapp – Tuta, Hasebe, Ndicka (Smolcic 82’) – Jakic, Rode (Dina Ebimbe 67’), Sow, Knauff – Kamada, Götze (Chandler 75’) – Kolo Muani (Borré 67’)
Goal
0-1 Rode (6')
0-2 Kamada (55')
1-2 Tomas (79')
1-3 Jakic (88')
