Augsburg climb to seventh in the Bundesliga with comfortable win over Eintracht Frankfurt

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Augsburg moved up to seventh in the Bundesliga table with a commanding 3-0 victory over in-form Eintracht Frankfurt.

Augsburg 3-0 Frankfurt

Goals: 1-0 Koo (19'), 2-0 Gregoritsch (76'), 3-0 Richter (89')

The Eagles went into the game with the second best away record in the division so far this season, but it was the hosts who started the brighter of the two teams at the WWK Arena. Michael Gregoritsch dragged a low shot wide after just two minutes before Kevin Danso headed over from a gilt-edged position moments later. Manuel Baum’s side eventually made the breakthrough their supremacy merited, Ja-Cheol Koo firing in off the far post for his second league goal of the campaign. Frankfurt’s Luka Jovic almost provided an immediate response, brushing the outside of the post with a header, before Caiuby and Gregoritsch both scuppered golden opportunities to double Augsburg’s advantage before the interval.

Eintracht had Lukas Hradecky to thank for keeping the visitors in the game with a smart save at the feet of Marcel Haller five minutes after the restart. Marco Fabian made his long-awaited comeback from injury mid-way through the second half, but the Mexico international’s introduction did little to lift Frankfurt as an attacking force. Ausburg, meanwhile, continued to push forward and put the result beyond all doubt in the closing stages, Gregoritsch netting his ninth league goal of the season before Marco Richter struck his first ever Bundesliga goal in the final minute of normal time.

Match stats

    Augsburg are unbeaten in six games at home (W3, D3). They have only twice before gone on a longer run.Die Fuggerstädter are yet to lose in their six home games against Eintracht (W3, D3).Both of Koo’s league goals in 2017/18 have come in the second half of the season.Frankfurt attackers Jovic and Sebastien Haller started together for the first time this term.Fabian made his first competitive appearance of the season.Heller, Jan Moravek, Kevin Danso and Raphael Framberger were named in Augsburg’s starting XI for the first time in 2018.

Line-ups

Augsburg: Hitz – Framberger, Danso, Hinteregger, Max – Moravek (Richter 71'), Gregoritsch, Baier (c) – Koo, Heller (Schmid 82'), Caiuby
Unused subs: Luthe, Parker, Janker, Kacar, Cordova
Absentees: Khedira (suspended), Gouweleeuw (knee), Finnbogason (calf), Opare (disciplinary)
Coach: Manuel Baum

Frankfurt: Hradecky – Salcedo, Hasebe (c), Falette – Wolf, Gacinovic (Fernandes 52'), Mascarell (da Costa 82'), Boateng (Fabian 67'), Chandler – Haller, Jovic
Unused subs: Willems, Barkok, Hrgota, Zimmermann
Absentees: Rebic (suspended), Abraham (calf), Meier (ankle), Mandela (knee), de Guzman (shoulder)
Coach: Niko Kovac

Watch: Gregoritsch reflects on one of his "most beautiful" goals

As it happened