Eintracht Frankfurt can still win in the Bundesliga: At 1. FC Heidenheim, Eintracht showed a reaction on Saturday (March 2nd, 2024) – and benefited from a mistake.
Frankfurt’s opening goal came after Heidenheim’s Benedikt Gimber played a back pass to goalkeeper Kevin Müller. Directly in front of Müller, the ball suddenly bounced up due to a mistake. So Heidenheim’s goalkeeper didn’t hit the ball, but instead made a hole in the air (39th). “That was just bad luck. It looks very unfortunate,” Müller told ARD radio. “I’m incredibly sorry for the team.”
Niels Nkounkou scored Frankfurt’s second goal shortly after the restart (49′). When Heidenheim’s joker Marvin Pieringer celebrated a few minutes later, Eintracht’s away win was once again in danger (59th). But there was no fourth goal in this game.
To the live ticker: Heidenheim – Frankfurt arrow right 24th matchday arrow right
Frankfurt can still win
For Frankfurt it was the first win in the league since the end of January. “I think you saw today that we are not brimming with self-confidence,” Toppmöller told ARD radio. “We’ll take the win with us. Even though we know it wasn’t our best game.”
Sports show, March 2nd, 2024 5:40 p.m
Eintracht thus consolidated sixth place. Re-qualification for a European competition seems possible. Heidenheim remains in the middle of the table with 28 points and is twelve points ahead of the first direct relegation place. Coach Frank Schmidt told ARD radio: “We can be happy with everything except the result.”
Effective hit for Heidenheim
An intense game developed in Heidenheim, but initially without any highlights. Heidenheim had two half-chances in the opening phase, Frankfurt initially remained harmless – until an unsuccessful cross from Nkounkou was just scratched off the line by Müller (20th). Shortly before the break, the FCH keeper became unlucky. Müller was immediately comforted by his colleagues.
Patric Seibel, Sportschau, March 2nd, 2024 5:49 p.m
But the error apparently had an impact. When Nkounkou shot into the near corner, Müller’s foot defense failed – 0:2. Heidenheim now pushed and came through Pieringer to connect. Ultimately, however, nothing changed as Heidenheim also lost out in the third duel with Eintracht.
Heidenheim’s Müller – an unlucky person who prevents something worse from happening
Rather, the unlucky Müller prevented a higher defeat with a triple save against Omar Marmoush and Ansgar Knauff (70th). Heidenheim’s Jan Schöppner missed the best chance to equalize with a header from a corner (80th).
Heidenheim continues next Saturday (March 9th, 2024) with an away game at FC Augsburg. Eintracht Frankfurt has a day longer break and then meets TSG Hoffenheim in their own stadium.