Silva’s dinked finish over Timo Horn gave Eintracht a deserved lead 12 minutes into the second half, before Ndicka headed home Filip Kostic’s cross to complete the scoring. The victory – Eintracht’s eighth in nine league matches – cements their place in the Bundesliga’s top four ahead of next weekend’s clash at home to FC Bayern Munich.
Personnel: Barkok back in squad
Eintracht boss Adi Hütter kept faith with the side that started last weekend’s 3-1 victory at TSG Hoffenheim. Aymen Barkok, who suffered a back injury ahead of the game at the PreZero Arena, was fit enough to take his place on the bench.
One-way traffic
The two teams cancelled each other out in the opening quarter of an hour, with Erik Durm’s shot from the edge of the box the closest either side came to an early breakthrough. The Eagles should have taken the lead midway through the first half when Silva’s cross found Daichi Kamada, but the Japan midfielder headed straight at Horn and Amin Younes was unable to connect with the rebound.
Kamada went close again five minutes later, skipping past his marker before unleashing a stinging drive which Horn somehow managed to tip over the crossbar. Ndicka headed over from the resulting corner, before Kostic very nearly slid home Kamada’s low ball across the six-yard box. Kostic and Silva almost combined to give Eintracht the lead on the stroke of half-time, but the Portuguese could only direct his header over the crossbar.
Deadlock broken
The Eagles continued to push and probe for an opener after the restart, with Kostic and Silva particularly threatening. Eintracht’s top scorer headed straight at Horn within minutes of the restart but he was not to be denied, eventually netting his 18th league goal of the campaign from Kamada’s clever flick. No Eintracht player has ever netted as many goals after 21 matches of a Bundesliga campaign.
Former Eagles player Marius Wolf and recent loan signing Emmanuel Dennis both blazed over the bar as Köln began to throw caution to the wind, but Ndicka’s precise header – his second goal in as many league games – ended the visitors’ hopes of an unlikely comeback.
Summary: Eintracht march on
Hütter’s opposite number Markus Gisdol will have no complaints with the result on Sunday afternoon. The hosts could have won by a much more handsome margin, but the Eagles boss will be delighted with another hard-earned three points at Deutsche Bank Park.
SGE line-up
Trapp – Tuta, Hinteregger, Ndicka – Durm (Toure 70’), Sow (Rode 70’), Hasebe, Kostic – Kamada (Zuber 81’), Younes (Jovic 70’) – Silva (Hrustic 90’)
Goals
1-0 Silva (57’)
2-0 Ndicka (79’)
