Werder Bremen and Eintracht Frankfurt meet in the first game of the Bundesliga second half. The two teams engage in a wild exchange of blows with six goals. In the end, the video evidence and the referee’s prudence decide.
Champions League participant Eintracht Frankfurt saved a point late on at Werder Bremen, but still has to wait for its first win of the new football year. Coach Dino Toppmöller’s defensively vulnerable team finished 3-3 (1-1) at Werder Bremen at the start of the second half of the season in the Bundesliga. Ansgar Knauff (90+5) scored the late equalizer for Frankfurt.
New signing Arnaud Kalimuendo gave Frankfurt the lead in front of 41,800 spectators after less than 60 seconds with his debut goal for Eintracht. Justin Njinmah (29th minute) equalized for the hosts before half-time. Nnamdi Collins’ Frankfurt goal (56′) was countered by Jens Stage (78′) and shortly afterwards Jovan Milosevic (80′) with a double strike.
Ball out of bounds? No
Knauff ensured the final score. The guests also owed this to the careful referee Benjamin Brand. His assistant saw the ball out of the goal before the cross to Knauff and immediately raised the flag. A mistake, the ball did not fully leave the field, as the video evidence would prove a little later.
If Brand had reacted immediately to his assistant’s advice and blown the whistle before Knauff scored, there should have been no further use of VAR. The whistle ends the active game. What happens after that is irrelevant; no goal can be recognized or a penalty awarded. But Brand let the game go.
Eintracht were of course happy about the late goal, but the draw in front of 41,800 spectators doesn’t help Bremen in the relegation battle or Frankfurt in the fight for a place in the European Cup. With this defensive line, that will hardly be possible anyway. Eintracht have conceded three goals in each of their last three Bundesliga games.
SUF
