Moroccan striker Younes Ebnoutalib gave Eintracht Frankfurt their first home Bundesliga win since March, scoring in the 77th minute against FC Cologne (1-0) in the opening match of the matchday.
The Deutsche Bank Park had to wait until the 77th minute to erupt. This Saturday, in the opening match of the Bundesliga matchday, Eintracht Frankfurt beat FC Cologne by the narrowest of margins (1-0), thanks to a single flash: the goal by Moroccan striker Younes Ebnoutalib, according to Get German Football News.
For the Eagles, this win ends a long wait: they had not won at home in the league since March, according to the same outlet. With these three crucial points, Frankfurt climb back into the top half of the table, again according to Get German Football News.
A powerless back three
Cologne had nevertheless fielded a back five. The 5-3-2 system deployed by René Wagner, head coach of the Rhine club, held until a quarter of an hour from time, before the Moroccan striker found the breakthrough, reports Get German Football News.
The three-man central defence fielded by the coach (Joël Schmied, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Luka Lochoshvili) could not withstand Ebnoutalib’s flash, according to the German outlet. In his post-match press conference, this Saturday morning, Wagner looked back on that tactical choice: “The idea of the back five had been in the pipeline for a long time. It was something that suited the Frankfurt match. We wanted to bring this back five into our portfolio because we think it is good to be more tactically flexible.”
Cologne fail to build on win
The visitors were coming off a 2-1 win in the Rhine derby against Borussia Mönchengladbach the previous weekend, according to Get German Football News. This time, the run ends at the Deutsche Bank Park.
For Frankfurt, this goal confirms Ebnoutalib’s rise within the Eagles’ attack, again according to Get German Football News.
A busy schedule ahead
Frankfurt have no time to savour it. The club are now preparing for their next European fixture as well as the rest of their Bundesliga campaign, indicates Get German Football News. Frankfurt and Cologne will return to Bundesliga action the following weekend, for the next matchday.