Daichi Kamada double as Eintracht Frankfurt see off Bayer Leverkusen
Daichi Kamada converted two penalties as Eintracht Frankfurt ran out 5-1 winners at home to lowly Bayer Leverkusen, who finished with 10 men.
Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Goals: 1-0 Kamada (pen. 45’+5), 1-1 Hincapie 56’ (assist: Demirbay), 2-1 Kolo Muani 58’ (assist: Lenz), 3-1 Lindstrom 65’, 4-1 Kamada (pen. 72’), 5-1 Alario 86' (assist: Borre)
Red card: Hincapie (71’)
Having both been in UEFA Champions League action on Wednesday, a slow start might’ve been expected at Deutsche Bank Park. However, there was no sign of that, especially from Eintracht. They were the more active side to begin, with Mario Götze flashing an effort wide and Randal Kolo Muani in particular having two great chances running onto balls in behind, but both times he was denied – first by a last-ditch Piero Hincapie tackle and then by goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky. Jeremie Frimpong volleyed off the top of the crossbar at the other end as Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen slowly came to life, but the real drama would come in added time. Edmond Tapsoba tripped Jesper Lindstrom as he darted past to give the hosts a penalty. Kolo Muani stepped up but saw his effort saved by Hradecky. However, the Bayer captain had come off his line, meaning a re-take. Spot-kick duties were then handed to Kamada, who went same way as Kolo Muani but a bit higher to leave it out of reach of ex-Eintracht fan favourite Hradecky.
Leverkusen made a double change at the break and one of those substitutions paid off as Kerem Demirbay delivered a free-kick that Hincapie met with a diving header to beat the previously underworked Kevin Trapp. But parity lasted barely two minutes as Kolo Muani also got on the end of an inch-perfect cross to power the home side back into the lead. The advantage was extended not long after when Lindstrom found himself in behind and produced a sublime lob over Hradecky. Things went from bad to worse for Bayer as Hincapie was shown a second yellow for his challenge on Kolo Muani in the box. Kamada stepped up once again to put away his second penalty and Frankfurt’s fourth before substitutes Rafael Borre and ex-Bayer man Lucas Alario combined to add a fifth as the UEFA Europa League holders climb up to fourth ahead of Sunday’s fixtures. Leverkusen slip back into the bottom three.
Match stats
- Kamada’s penalties were the first he’d taken in the Bundesliga and took him to six goals for the campaign – a new single-season personal best in the league.
- It was his first brace in his 104th Bundesliga game.
- Hincapie scored his second goal but also received his second red card in the Bundesliga.
- Kolo Muani’s three Bundesliga goals have been scored with his right foot, left foot and now head.
- The home team has won the last 10 Bundesliga meetings between these sides, including the most recent five in Frankfurt.
- This fixture has never ended goalless in 75 Bundesliga editions. No other match-up has been played as often in the German top flight without a 0-0.
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Watch: Trapp: "We could even have scored more!"
Teams
Frankfurt: Trapp (c) - Tuta, Jakic, Ndicka - Dina Ebimbe (Alidou 77’), Kamada (Wenig 87’), Sow (Rode 77’), Lenz - Lindström (Borre 77’), Götze - Kolo Muani (Alario 80’)
Unused subs: Ramaj, Smolcic, Chandler, Wenig, Grahl
Out: Buta (knee), Hasebe (knee), Knauff (thigh), Onguene (groin), Pellegrini (shoulder), Toure (fitness)
Coach: Oliver Glasner
Leverkusen: Hradecky (c) - Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie - Frimpong, Andrich, Aranguiz (Demirbay 46’), Bakker (Sinkgraven 80’) - Diaby (Kossounou 73’), Schick (Hlozek 80’), Paulinho (Amiri 46’)
Unused subs: Lunev, Adli, Fosu-Mensah, Sertdemir
Out: Azmoun (muscular), Bellarabi (knee), Hudson-Odoi (knee), Palacios (hamstring), Wirtz (cruciate ligament)
Coach: Xabi Alonso
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