Filip Kostic scores a brace as Eintracht Frankfurt reach last eight of DFB Cup with win over RB Leipzig
Two goals from Filip Kostic and an Andre Silva penalty helped Frankfurt beat RB Leipzig for the second time in as many weeks, and reach the last eight of the DFB Cup.
Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 RB Leipzig
Goal: 1-0 Silva (pen. 17'), 2-0 Kostic (51'), 2-1 Olmo (69'), 3-1 Kostic (90+4')
Leipzig had revenge on their mind, after losing 2-0 here in the Bundesliga just 10 days ago, and they made the brighter start with Patrik Schick and Amadou Haidara sending in the first shots of the night. Frankfurt were gifted the lead, though, when Marcel Halstenberg handled a cross to give away a penalty, which Silva tucked into the bottom right-hand corner. Frankfurt grew in confidence as the half wore on and they started to pose more of a threat than their guests, who were finding some sterner resistance also from the Eagles' back line. Christopher Nkunku tried to find a way round the right with Angelino impressing on his Leipzig debut on the left, but the hosts held firm to take a narrow lead in at the break.
The second half started similar to the first, with Leipzig on the front foot and then caught out by conceding a goal of their own making. This time, they gave away possession cheaply in midfield and let Kostic do what he does best, which involves turning on the turbo to race clear and slow sufficiently to slot the ball into the bottom corner. Leipzig had to make changes and Timo Werner was sent on for the final half an hour, but it was half-time substitute Dani Olmo who made a greater impact, slotting in his first goal for the club from an Angelino pass which Werner deftly dummied. Werner dummied the ball again, albeit unintentionally as he tried to turn in a loose ball with the goal gaping, as Leipzig sought in vain for an equaliser until a second from Kostic deep in stoppage time ensured Frankfurt's name goes into the hat for the last eight.
Match stats
- Silva scored his first goal since Matchday 4 in the Bundesliga, a 2-2 draw with Werder Bremen.
- Kostic last scored a brace on 31 March 2019, in a 3-0 win over VfB Stuttgart.
- Frankfurt have now progressed in their last four DFB Cup home ties.
- The Eagles are still yet to lose at home to Leipzig (W3, D2), beating them 2-0 on 25 January.
- Frankfurt have reached the final in two of the last three seasons, winning their fifth title with a 3-1 victory over Bayern in 2018. Only the Munich club (19) and Werder Bremen (six) have won the DFB Cup more often.
Line-ups
Frankfurt: Trapp – Abraham, Hasebe (c), Hinteregger - Toure, Sow, Rode (Kohr 78'), N'dicka - Gacinovic (Chandler 81'), Silva (Paciencia 88'), Kostic
Unused subs: Rönnow, Kamada, Da Costa, Durm, De Guzman, Cetin
Out: Fernandes (hip), Russ (Achilles tendon), Torro (thigh), Dost (stomach)
Coach: Adi Hütter
Leipzig: Mvogo – Klostermann, Upamecano, Halstenberg - Sabitzer (c), Haidara (Olmo 46'), Laimer (Werner 56'), Angelino – Nkunku (Lookman 61') - Poulsen, Schick
Unused subs: Gulacsi, Forsberg, Adams, Wolf, Mukiele, Ampadu
Out: Kampl (ankle), Konate (hamstring), Orban (knee)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
AS IT HAPPENED:
90+4' GAME, SET AND MATCH!
Kostic has added his second and Frankfurt's third, and that surely will put the Eagles into the quarter-finals! Paciencia heads the ball on and Kostic sends his shot into the exact same corner of the Leipzig goal to make it 3-1!
89' WERNER CHANCE!
That could and, well, considering who it was, I think we can use the word 'should' be an equaliser for Leipzig. The ball falls for Werner inside the area and it is an air-shot from the Germany international – not one of his repertoire that you see often, and not one Leipzig's fans wanted to see right now.
87' OLMO AGAIN!
Olmo has made a great impression since coming on at half-time and his shot tests Trapp as Leipzig look for an equaliser
81' CHANDLER ON!
Timmy Chandler comes on to give even greater firepower to Frankfurt's attack, replacing Gacinovic. An oxymoron, perhaps? Not really – the US full-back did net the late equaliser for Frankfurt at the weekend – his second goal in three games!
79' NKUNK-OOOOH!
That was VERY close from Nkunku. A deflection takes his shot wide for a corner as Leipzig do all they can to force extra-time here.
78' KOHR FOR RODE
Rode has taken a knock which requires a bit of on-field surgery – those of a nervous disposition look away now. A few stitches later and he's seen his number is up, in the literal sense. On comes Kohr.
72' HINTEREGGER CLOSE!
Mvogo may have been maligned for some mishaps in the first half, but that was him at his best, denying Martin Hinteregger from point-blank range!
69' GOAL LEIPZIG - OLMO!
It's game on in Frankfurt! The two subs are involved with Werner dummying an Angelino cross to allow Olmo to come in and place his shot low into the bottom right-hand corner.
66' NOBODY THERE FOR WERNER
Werner gets involved near the goal line, but there are no takers for his cross. The ball flies out behind goal with a questioning look from the Germany international to his teammates. Leipzig are now having to commit men forward and this could leave gaps for Frankfurt to exploit on the break.
61' WERNER ON
There's the substitution we were waiting for: Timo Werner is on, Konrad Laimer comes off.
60' SOW CLOSE!
Djibril Sow would have had a free run on Mvogo's goal if it hadn't been for a perfectly timed lunge from Sabitzer. Get that wrong and you're going to get a red card, but Sabitzer got it perfectly right.
58' GACINOVIC CLOSE!
That could have been a third for Frankfurt! After a neat exchange of passes, it is Gacinovic who turns his shot just into the side-netting from close range. Just over half an hour left for Leipzig to get back into this game.
54' FRANKFURT ON COURSE
Frankfurt have won the DFB Cup five times and it looks like they could be getting closer to a sixth title. Werner is warming up for Leipzig and you wonder how long it will be before he is introduced.
51' GOAL – KOSTIC!
Leipzig have made another bright start… Oh, wait… Kostic leads the ball forward for Frankfurt, starting his run in his own half, and he has just gone and slotted the ball into the far corner of Mvogo's goal! Like it was 10 days ago, 2-0 to Frankfurt.
47' HALSTENBERG MISS!
First chance of the half for Leipzig, but Halstenberg has endangered only the fans behind the left-hand goal with a 25-yard free-kick.
SECOND HALF STARTS!
One change at the break, with Leipzig bringing on Dani Olmo for Haidara, who was quite close to getting a second yellow card in that first half.
HALF-TIME!
The half-time whistle sounds and it is just an Andre Silva penalty between Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig. The visitors may have started the brighter, but they have faded as Frankfurt's confidence levels have risen, and the 2018 winners are closer to the quarterfinals than last year's beaten finalists with 45 minutes of this game to go.
45+1' SILVA INTO THE SIDE-NETTING!
Silva gets clear and has a tight angle to shoot from, and he can only find the side-netting. Prompt the linesman to raise his flag after teasing us into believing it might ever have counted anyway.
42' YELLOW CARD – RODE
That's not the way to prevent Nkunku from dribbling round the back, though! Sebastian Rode's name is also in the referee after invoking a scream of pain from the Leipzig winger which could be heard as far away as Wiesbaden.
41' NO WAY ROUND FOR LEIPZIG
Frankfurt are also showing more confidence defending, with N'Dicka ensuring there is no way around the back for Nkunku. Leipzig's last meaningful attack is quite some time ago.
36' HAIDARA OVER!
Haidara is offered an opportunity to level by the hitherto impressive Angelino, but he can only hit it over as he leans back. There's no leaning back for viewers of this game, though, with the edges of seats getting plenty of pressure tonight.
34' FRANKFURT PRESSING
Now they have the lead, Frankfurt are looking much more confident on the ball and starting to threaten a second. Mvogo has not been looking all that convincing in the Leipzig goal and this is just inviting more pressure on Leipzig.
20' YELLOW CARD – GACINOVIC
Gacinovic wanted a second penalty for Frankfurt as he went down in the area, but Brych was not buying it and shows him the yellow card. No need to check VAR, Gacinovic's reaction makes it clear the referee got that call right.
17' SILVA SCORES!
Andre Silva tucks the ball into the bottom right-hand corner, and the Eagles have taken flight!
16' PENALTY FRANKFURT!
A handball decision has been given, and we have a penalty! Halstenberg booked.
15' VAR CALL
They are checking VAR about a potential handball inside the Frankfurt penalty area…
11' SCHHHHHHHICK - CLOSE!
That is the closest we have come to an opening goal. Makoto Hasebe put Patrik Schick through and Kevin Trapp makes an excellent instinctive save to deny the Czech Republic forward.
10' BETTER FROM HAIDARA!
Haidara may have been the villain after 90 seconds with his yellow card, but he was almost Leipzig's hero with a lovely shot from outside the penalty area taking a lick of paint off the right-hand upright.
8' SILVA MISS!
Frankfurt's first chance of the game falls at the head of Andre Silva, but he can only glance the ball high and handsome.
3' ANGELINO OPENER
This was a first time to see Leipzig's new on-loan signing Angelino, who threads a ball through to Poulsen. He lays it off to Schick, whose shot just clears the crossbar by a matter of inches. Bright start from the guests.
2' YELLOW CARD!
Just 90 seconds on the clock, and Haidara is the first name in referee Felix Brych's book. Walking on an early tightrope.
KICK-OFF!
The ball is rolling in Frankfurt!
PLEASANTRIES OVER
Poulsen and Abraham, tonight's two captains, exchange pennants and a kiss on the cheek. Here we go – will it be the 2018 winners or the 2019 beaten finalists heading into the 2020 quarterfinal draw?
TEAMS EMERGING
The two teams are emerging from the tunnel at the Commerzbank Arena, for this first DFB Cup last-16 clash.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
This is the first encounter between the teams in the DFB Cup, but they have met eight times previously in the Bundesliga.
Frankfurt's recent victory was just their second over Die Roten Bullen, who have won three and drawn the other three.
LEIPZIG TEAM NEWS
Julian Nagelsmann has likewise tweaked his team following the 2-2 draw with Gladbach on Saturday.
Peter Gulacsi, Emil Forsberg, Timo Werner, Tyler Adams and Nordi Mukiele are all among the substitutes today, with Yann Mvogo in goal, Angelino making his debut, Amadou Haidara coming into midfield, and both Yussuf Poulsen and Patrik Schick starting up top
FRANKFURT TEAM NEWS
Head coach Adi Hütter has made four changes to the side that earned a last-gasp draw with Fortuna Düsseldorf at the weekend, rejigging his line-up from a back four to a back three.
As such, Makoto Hasebe returns to the side in defence, while Almamy Toure, Mijat Gacinovic and Andre Silva also begin. Timothy Chandler, Danny da Costa, Goncalo Paciencia, Daichi Kamada all drop to the bench here.
HELLO AND WELCOME!
The DFB Cup round of 16 kicks off with a bang today as in-form Frankfurt, who are unbeaten in 2020, welcome Leipzig back to the Commerzbank-Arena. Stay tuned for all the latest news and info!
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