Bundesliga: VfB Stuttgart beats Frankfurt

Returnee Ermedin Demirovic, striker Deniz Undav and joker Nikolas Nartey have at least temporarily shot VfB Stuttgart into the Champions League places in the Bundesliga. Four days after their 4-1 gala at Bayer Leverkusen, the Swabians won dramatically 3-2 (2-1) against Eintracht Frankfurt and moved up to third place in the table.

The Hessians, who conceded a total of 36 goals in the first half of the season, remain behind the European Cup ranks. They also lost their new striker Younes Ebnoutalib, who had to be replaced with an injury.

Rasmus Kristensen scored in the 5th minute to make it 1-0 for Eintracht. Demirovic after a goalkeeper error (27th) and Undav (35th) turned the game around, which at times offered a spectacle. Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab (80th) made it 2-2 before Nartey, who was also substituted, struck again for VfB at the other end (87th).

The Frankfurt team got off to a perfect start in front of 59,500 spectators, but had to accept several setbacks in the course of the first half – first due to injury, then through individual mistakes.

The Dane Kristensen gave the visitors an early lead with a header that left VfB goalkeeper Alexander Nübel quite uninvolved on his own line. The Stuttgart team did not allow themselves to be deterred and looked for a way forward – as with a courageous attempt by Chris Führich (8th). What the DFB Cup winners initially lacked, however, was penetration.

After 20 minutes there was the first setback for Eintracht: new signing Ebnoutalib had to be replaced four days after his dream debut including a goal in the 3-3 draw against Borussia Dortmund. He had collided with Stuttgart’s Jeff Chabot and was replaced by Jean-Matteo Bahoya. And that wasn’t enough for Frankfurt. The already not undisputed keeper Kauã Santos – also somewhat irritated by teammate Aurèle Amenda – dropped a cross at Demirovic’s feet. The Stuttgart player was there and scored 1-1 in his first starting eleven appearance after a month-long injury layoff. It wasn’t the only uncertainty of Santos, who shortly afterwards had a heated argument with teammate Arthur Theate. In the meantime, Stuttgart’s Undav completely turned the game around. The national striker scored his tenth league goal of the season with a deflected low shot. VfB had earned the lead and Eintracht lost a lot of duels and control after their early 1-0 lead.

The game remained entertaining even after the break. At the end of a fine Stuttgart move, VfB winger Führich shot the ball just wide of the goal (57′), and in return Ansgar Knauff hit the crossbar (58′).

After just over an hour, Undav had the 3-1 on their feet, but was denied by the Eintracht keeper Santos, who reacted strongly this time. Ten minutes before the end this took its toll. Amaimouni-Echghouyab scored with a low shot to equalize for Frankfurt. VfB also hit back again in a hot final phase through Nartey.