Double strike before the break
© Imago
Eintracht Frankfurt celebrated a lavish football party after returning to the premier class after 940 days and booked the first three points in the league of the Champions League. After a few starting difficulties, the Bundesliga team demonstrated its international maturity and prevailed against Galatasaray with the German stars İlkay Gündoğan and Leroy Sané unexpectedly with 5: 1 (3: 1).
In front of 58,700 spectators, Yunus Akgün gave the Turkish champion in the 8th minute. An own goal of Davinson Sánchez (37th) and hits from Can Uzun (45.+2), Jonathan Burkardt (45.+4/66.) And Ansgar Knauff (75.) then ensured European euphoria on the lawn and the ranks.
Even before the kick -off, it was atmospheric in the sold -out arena when Kevin Trapp, who switched to FC Paris, was ceremoniously adopted under the jubilation of the fans. The long-time Eintracht captain wished his ex-colleagues all the best for the difficult tasks in the premier class: “At this level, it is about details. This is a brutal league. But everything is possible,” said the 35-year-old. And he should be right.
At first the Eintracht acted nervously and was punished early. After a mistake by Hugo Larsson, Sané played an opening pass on Akgün, which was still transferred to Namdi Collins in the penalty area and accomplished it unsustainably for Eintracht goalkeeper Michael Zetterer. The goal gave the home side the initial swing that Knauff almost used for early lead. The wing player, who received the preference in front of Jean-Matteo Bahoya, failed in the 2nd minute with a placed low shot on the well-reacting gala goalkeeper Uğurcan Cakir.
For a long time it remained the only dangerous campaign by the Frankfurt campaign, which remained extremely swords in the game and remained susceptible to the defensive. After a free kick shot by Gündogan, Baris Yilmaz was suddenly completely free in the penalty area, but fortunately the ball was drosing into the evening sky for the hosts. After half an hour, Eintracht finally recorded another chance. A header shelf from Robin Koch faulted Eren Elmali, but Cakir scratched the ball off the line. A few minutes later, the Europa League winner from 2022 was allowed to cheer when Sanchez steered a Lupfer from Ritsu Doan over Cakir into his own goal.
Eintracht Frankfurt with double strike before the break against Galatasaray
And it came even better for the home side. A flat cross from Burkardt landed near Uzun, which completed a shot in the corner to the lead. Just 120 seconds later, newcomer Burkardt headed a free kick flank from Fares Chaibi on his first goal in the Eintracht jersey. The hit also kept the check of the Var stand.
The expected catch-up of the Turkish record champion was missing after the change. Rather, Frankfurt controlled the game and increased through a Burkrard headball that Sanchez still fell. A quarter of an hour before the end, Knauff put the guests the final knockout with the fifth goal.