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The SGE is pleased with a “perfect” end to the year against the “Fohlen”. She should categorize what has been achieved sensibly. The foundation is right.
Frankfurt – Eintracht Kante Robin Koch didn’t even see that the ball actually hopped into the net in the very last minute of added time, with the last action of the turbulent year of 2023. He just heard it. And felt. With every fiber of his exhausted body. “I noticed how the fans were going crazy,” said the happy veteran, who forced Frankfurt’s crazy 2-1 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach with his first Bundesliga goal of the season, scored with last-minute effort. And then? “Then the roof blew off here.”
Founding:8. March 1999President:Peter FischerTrainer:Dino ToppmöllerMembers:130,000
Eintracht Frankfurt celebrates a crazy comeback win against Borussia Mönchengladbach
The 27-year-old had “no energy at all” in his big body; shortly before the end he just thought: “Come on, run through again.” So he dragged himself forward when he saw that the ball was going to the left came to substitute Niels Nkounkou, who had already prepared the 1-1 through Aurelio Buta with a buttery cross. Even in stoppage time.
Outside, Nkounkou, suddenly acting like he was unleashed, started dribbling purposefully and with a strong drive, and in the middle, defender Koch aimed for the center forward position. “My running style was very rough, not really fast anymore,” says the broken defense boss with a smile, only his iron will drove him forward, and when the ball came into the center, “I just threw myself in”. With success. Ball in the goal, somehow, 0:1 became 2:1 within five minutes, game turned, Gladbach beaten, sixth place taken. Like in a football fairy tale. The rest was a hurricane of emotions, ecstasy at its finest. “Outstanding,” groaned a devastated Robin Koch. “Craziness.”
Late celebration: Eintracht with Éric Junior Dina Ebimbe, winning goalscorer Robin Koch, Omar Marmoush and Aurélio Buta (from left) celebrated a late home win against Gladbach. © Imago / Revierfoto
“This is Eintracht Frankfurt”: SGE turns the game against Gladbach into stoppage time
The people of Frankfurt didn’t know what to do with their unbridled joy, which was so volcanic because no one really expected a happy ending anymore. Except perhaps Dino Toppmöller, the coach, but only after the lucky equalizer after 92 minutes by Buta, who was also a substitute. “I said to my assistant coaches: We’ll win this thing.”
And when the self-fulfilling prophecy came true, the coach was of course carried away by his feelings: “You can’t pay for that with all the money in the world.” Goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, steeled in the club’s wave pool and something like a seismograph, said with a laugh: “This is Eintracht Frankfurt.”
Seeing nothing, hearing everything: Robin Koch (on the ground on the right) scores the winning goal – “and then the roof flies away”. © IMAGO/Jan Huebner
“An act of will”: Eagles fight their way to success against Borussia
There is no question about it, this success was fortunate in its origins and not deserved, but there is also no doubt that the team fought for this victory because, despite a manageable footballing performance, they did not give up, but continued to relentlessly attack the Borussia goal.
“In the end it was an act of will and a lot of energy,” said creative head Mario Götze. And of course the suspension of Gladbach’s Maximilian Wöber shortly before the end of the regular season also played a role. “The little things were on our side,” said Götze. “The sending off gave us another push.”
Victory against Gladbach shows: The primary virtues are right at the SGE
Character, attitude and mentality are right, that’s not a new insight, but an important one. Because without these primary virtues, a successful performance is not possible – at least not at the quality level that Eintracht is at. After 27 games in the first half of the year, Toppmöller summed up all the more happily: “Happiness for what the boys have achieved.” The way his team “overcame the many obstacles” commanded honest respect from the 43-year-old. “This is just big. I am incredibly proud.”
This experience was particularly important for the general mood. Eintracht had previously lost six of their last seven competitive games, had many sobering performances behind them, and a lot of things seemed cumbersome, laborious and burdensome. A gray haze had fallen over the city forest. And for a long time it looked as if Eintracht would go into the short vacation with another low blow, because Wednesday’s performance was a continuation of the previous weak performances. “It wasn’t a good game for us, we didn’t have the energy as we had hoped,” said Toppmöller. “The boys are running on the last groove.”
Eintracht coach Dino Toppmöller also expressed his relief after the last-minute win against Borussia Mönchengladbach. © Imago / Jan Huebner
After numerous upheavals: Eintracht ends the year on a positive note
It is all the more important that this newly formed group goes into the Christmas holidays with a good feeling after the XXL upheaval. “That was brutally important,” says defense chief Koch. “That was a perfect ending.” Such a positive end to the year is worth its weight in gold for the head, heart and soul; you can draw a lot of confidence and trust from it.
And you have to state soberly: 24 points in the league, sixth place, overwintering in the Conference League – that’s absolutely fine and more than was expected after the major upheaval with the departure of five highly decorated regular players and the jerky start to the season. Only the cup exit in Saarbrücken hurts, especially in view of the current field of participants.
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Eintracht Frankfurt: Better not to be blinded
Nevertheless, those responsible should extend their antennae and answer these questions honestly: Are five minutes against Gladbach enough to transfigure everything and bathe it in bright colors? Can this crazy twist obscure everything that came before? Certainly not.
In Frankfurt they should not feel safe, but rather evaluate what they have achieved sensibly (which they will definitely do). Because too many games were too poor, which can be explained, but is still a fact. In addition, it is by no means said that the new year begins the way the old one ended. There are some imponderables. The best players are at the Africa Cup of Nations, and who really knows how long it will take the (probably four) new players to find their feet and hit the ground running? Time is running out. But one thing is clear: 24 points form a foundation that guarantees a certain stability.
2023-12-22 11:33:00
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