Bundesliga
Eintracht Frankfurt produced an unmissable 6-4 victory at Borussia Mönchengladbach in a game that initially saw the visitors race into a 6-0 lead, before the Foals kicked into gear with a late fightback.
Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-6 Eintracht Frankfurt
Goals: 0-1 Koch 11’ (assist: Chaïbi), 0-2 Knauff 15’ (assist: Dōan), 0-3 Burkardt 35’ (assist: Uzun), 0-4 Chaïbi 39’ (assist: Dōan), 0-5 Uzun 45’+1 (assist: Chaïbi), 0-6 Koch 47’ (assist: Brown), 1-6 Castrop 72’ (assist: Scally), 2-6 Tabaković 78’ (assist: Netz), 3-6 Engelhardt 83’ (assist: Tabaković), 4-6 Ranos 90’+9 (assist: Scally)
Frankfurt arrived at Borussia-Park looking to bounce back from two consecutive league defeats, while Gladbach, under the guidance of interim coach Eugen Polanski, were aiming for their first Bundesliga win of the season.
The visitors started with an aggressive high-pressing game, pinning Gladbach back in their own half from the opening whistle. It paid dividends in the 11th minute when Robin Koch broke the deadlock, flicking home Farès Chaïbi's corner with a combination of head and shoulder to give Frankfurt the lead.
Just four minutes later, the advantage was doubled when Ansgar Knauff latched onto a loose connection from Ritsu Dōan, tucking the ball past Moritz Nicolas.
Frankfurt continued to dominate, and in the 35th minute, they made it 3-0 as Jonathan Burkardt squeezed the ball home after being fed by Can Uzun.
Chaïbi then added a fourth after converting Dōan's low cross before Uzun completed the first half misery by hammering a stunning shot into the top corner from a tight angle following a delightful backheel from Chaïbi.
The rout appeared set to continue in the second half when Koch made it 6-0 just two minutes after the restart as the centre-back bagged a rare double.
Frankfurt then took their foot off the gas completely, allowing the hosts to gradually gain a foothold, with Jens Castrop heading home from Joe Scally's cross in the 72nd minute to give the home fans something to cheer about.
Six minutes later, Haris Tabaković added a second for Gladbach, powering in a header from Luca Netz's delivery. The Foals continued to press forward, and in the 83rd minute Yannik Engelhardt made it 6-3 with a close-range finish. Grant-Leon Ranos then headed home in the 99th minute to add further respectability to the scoreline.
Despite the spirited second-half performance, Gladbach end the weekend at the bottom of the table for the first time in 10 years.
Koch was the standout performer in a match full of attacking quality. The Frankfurt defender set the tone for the Eagles with his opener, and his second strike immediately after half-time added further gloss to a stunning opening 47 minutes for the visitors.
With two goals from 0.82 xG, Koch demonstrated his clinical finishing ability while also contributing to Frankfurt's build-up play. His performance epitomised Eintracht's effectiveness in front of goal.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Gladbach 2.42 - Frankfurt 2.94
Fastest player: Jens Castrop (Gladbach), 34.43 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 0-1 by Robin Koch (Frankfurt), 12 per cent
Most pressed player: Ansgar Knauff (Frankfurt), 23 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Can Uzun (Frankfurt), +2.45
Fantasy Heroes: Farès Chaïbi (Frankfurt, 432 Points), Can Uzun (Frankfurt, 380 Points), Robin Koch (Frankfurt, 356 Points)