Et was the hour of the late callers. With the instinct to rely on the right people at the right moment, Oliver Glasner landed two direct hits. The Eintracht coach decided on the two Scandinavians in his squad on Thursday evening at an advanced game time. Two jokers that stung and provided collective relief on a mild night. The Dane Jesper Lindström and the Norwegian Jens Petter Hauge – in a congenial teamwork they made the difference in the cauldron of Piraeus.
They provided an emotional last-minute victory in the Europa League, from which Eintracht also wants to draw strength for the Bundesliga. This Sunday, away from the bottom of the table, Spielvereinigung Greuther Fürth (7.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and at DAZN), it should really be something with the initial spark that Glasner had hoped for and conjured up several times.
Hauge and Lindström are two who are rarely first choice, but who impressively underlined their reputation as first-class helpers during the coup in Piraeus. When it started with games for Eintracht in the summer, substitute Hauge was in the right place at the right time. Although his new team lost 2: 5 in Dortmund. But the nimble Norwegian scored his first Bundesliga goal. Even now, on the fourth match day in the group stage of the Europa League, he first had to watch the goings on from the bench.
Men for special moments
Then he came – and struck again. His winning goal to make it 2-1 at the Greek record champion Olympiakos was only due to the friendly support of Lindström. The Dane had resolutely prevailed on the left and put Hauge in the limelight. “This goal gives me confidence,” said Hauge after his flash of inspiration in Greece: “This victory brings confidence.”
Neither Hauge nor Lindström are among the players who have consistently helped Eintracht so far. But they are the men for those special moments. For scenes like those last seen with Lindström in Antwerp with great consequences. Also on the European stage, like in Piraeus. In Belgium, too, Glasner had a lucky hand because he switched to Lindström. 72 minutes were played, the game was 0-0. When it went into stoppage time, the Dane started a brilliant solo on the right and was fouled in the penalty area.
Gonçalo Paciência converted the penalty to 1-0, the first victory in the Europa League was perfect. The 2: 1 of Piraeus is already the third full success in Group D. It secures the winter in the bonus operation European Cup, which should also broadcast to the core business of the Bundesliga, for Eintracht. Timothy Chandler, one of Eintracht’s long-serving old drivers, said on the blissful night under the starry Greek sky: “We need all players. We have to stick together as a team. ”Because Filip Kostic was missing, the others had to fix it. Two like Hauge and Lindström. Two to which the previous ups and downs of unity can be identified.
Both had to take criticism again and again for their changeable performances. Hauge now claimed not to have noticed anything. “I don’t care what is written about me in the newspaper. What the coach says is important to me. ”The coach said positive things in Piraeus. “I’m happy for both of them,” said Glasner, addressing Hauge and Lindström. “They did not have an easy phase.” The Austrian football teacher, emotionally moved by the late victory at Olympiakos, renewed his credo: “The boys always give everything.”
This may apply to Hauge and Lindström when they win in Greece. Not to others. Aymen Barkok and Sam Lammers found one evening to be forgotten. Djibril Sow, actually a constant as a buffer between defensive and offensive, acted weakly. Eintracht lacks constancy and reliability. Especially in the storm, in which Rafael Borré wore himself out in the late triumph of Piraeus and earned top marks, things are still stuck.
It has to get better – Markus Krösche agrees. Thanks to the unexpected last-minute victory, the Eintracht sports directorate felt “great relief”. But no more: “We are looking forward to today.” Knowing full well that Sunday is a new day – with a new challenge. And maybe with another sample of the late-calling Hauge and Lindström.
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