Eintracht Frankfurt and SV Darmstadt 98 have delivered a DFB Cup round of 16 with a number of highlights. Randal Kolo Muani had another great night in a 4-2 win.
In the shape of his life: Randal Kolo Muani.
IMAGO/pupils
Due to the 3-0 home win against Hertha BSC, after which Rode and Borré replaced Sow (bench) and Lindström (thigh strain) in the starting XI, Eintracht Frankfurt went into the Hessen derby in fifth place in the Bundesliga. But the Darmstadt guests, as leaders in the lower house, are impressively on the rise and let the favorites feel their own quality early on.
In comparison to the 4-0 victory in Sandhausen, Isherwood and Vilhelmsson had given way to Karic and Mehlem, the latter making a good effort on his right flank. Honsak was only half a step too late after Mehlem’s cross (5′). Eintracht presented itself more ripped off in Frankfurt, taking the lead with their first degree. When Kolo Muani headed the ball from seven meters, SVD goalkeeper shoes did not look the happiest (6th).
Honsak turns the game upside down
In the lead, the Glasner team became more and more influential. Borré (11th) and Götze (23rd) missed huge chances and thus failed to make it 2-0 – which punished the offensive Darmstadt team who had signed off in the meantime. Honsak, who already scored twice in the league at the weekend, turned the game around in a very short time after two switching moments (29th, 31st). It hadn’t turned out that way.
Suddenly Darmstadt was right in the middle again, Tietz might even have made it 3-1 without Buta’s intervention (36′). Instead, before the break, a resurgent SGE managed to equalize 2-2 after fine preparatory work by Rode and Götze, European Cup hero Borré. Appropriate for the entertaining event.
Dream goal by Kamada – Darmstadt stay tuned
Eintracht then came out of the break better, started higher and more successfully. But there were always phases in which the lower-class Darmstadt met their hosts on an equal footing – mostly through switching moments (Schnellhardt finish, 52nd).
Nevertheless, Frankfurt was better, which became apparent in the 62nd minute: Shortly after Rode’s chance with a diving header (61st), the ball landed over the stations Borré and Kolo Muani at Kamada, who refined this exemplary attack from 20 meters with the outside of his foot. Tietz responded after a free kick with a shot on the post (65′), a minute later, Mehlem shot in – from offside.
Individual class: Götze initiates the decision
The guests delivered a courageous and strong performance, but in the end they were powerless against the individual class of Frankfurt. Buta missed a dream pass from Götze (72′), but in the final minute the playmaker, after winning the ball himself, sent Kolo Muani on his way, dry as a bone, to make it 4-2, which he finally deserved.
Next Sunday, Eintracht will have an away game at 1. FC Köln (5.30 p.m.) at the end of the 20th matchday in the Bundesliga. Darmstadt starts their home game against Eintracht Braunschweig four hours beforehand. The quarter-finals in the DFB Cup will then be drawn with a delay.
