Denis Zakaria earns Borussia Mönchengladbach a point with late strike at Eintracht Frankfurt
Denis Zakaria struck late as Borussia Mönchengladbach took a point from Eintracht Frankfurt in a 1-1 draw at the Commerzbank-Arena on Sunday.
Goals: 1-0 Da Costa (45+1'), 1-1 Zakaria (82')
With Leipzig breathing down their necks after their win in Stuttgart, Gladbach appeared keen to respond as they had the better of the early chances, Thorgan Hazard twice missing the target and Zakaria bringing a save out of Kevin Trapp. Florian Neuhaus also aimed his shot too close to the Frankfurt custodian as Gladbach wasted chance after chance, and they got their comeuppance on the stroke of half-time when the hosts took the lead with their first big opportunity. Danny Da Costa took the sting out of what appeared to be a shot from Jonathan Da Guzman at second time of asking, and he shot on the swivel past Yann Sommer with the last kick of the half.
Gladbach emerged for the second half with the same hunger they had shown in the first 45 minutes and Patrick Herrmann could, or perhaps should have brought them level twice within ten minutes of the restart. His shift ended soon after with Josip Drmic coming on for his first game of the season, and 50th all told for Gladbach. As the game opened up, Ante Rebic wasted a chance to give Frankfurt a two-goal cushion and it was the hosts' turn to be punished for this profligacy with Zakaria taking a much more difficult opportunity, levelling with a shot from just outside the area and earning the Foals a point which, on the balance of play, they more than deserved.
Match stats
- Frankfurt have now drawn a club record four league games in a row.
- Zakaria supplied Gladbach's sixth goal from outside the penalty area this season. Only Dortmund (seven) have scored more.
- Gladbach's last five goals have all come in the final 15 minutes of their matches.
- Drmic made his 50th appearance in a Gladbach shirt, and his first of the season.
- Eintracht have lost only one of their seven games immediately after a midweek European fixture so far this term (W3, D3).
Line-ups
Frankfurt: Trapp – Hinteregger, Hasebe, N’Dicka – Da Costa, de Guzman, Fernandes (c) (Willems 78'), Gacinovic, Kostic – Rebic (Jovic 84'), Haller (Paciencia 89')
Unused subs: Rönnow, Falette, Russ, Tawatha
Out: Abraham (calf), Chandler (knee), Rode (calf), Stendera (illness), Torro (pelvis)
Coach: Adi Hütter
Gladbach: Sommer – Johnson, Ginter, Elvedi, Wendt – Neuhaus (Drmic 67'), Kramer (Strobl 77'), Zakaria – Herrmann (Plea 67'), Stindl (c), Hazard
Unused subs: Sippel, Lang, Jantschke, Cuisance
Out: Bennetts (thigh), Doucoure (thigh), Raffael (collarbone), Hofmann (ankle), Traore (groin)
Coach: Dieter Hecking
Watch: Da Costa in his goalscoring form and Frankfurt's season
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