Frankfurt close in on Champions League with Augsburg win

Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 Augsburg
Goals: 1-0 Hinteregger (37'), 2-0 Silva (58')

Both sides came into the game off the back of disappointing results, with Frankfurt going down heavily to Borussia Mönchengladbach and Augsburg being held by Arminia Bielefeld at the weekend. That result left Die Fuggerstädter starting to look anxiously over their shoulders, but the rear-view mirror was not getting much of a glance in the early exchanges with most of the action taking place in front of Augsburg's goal. Although the visitors almost opened the scoring through Florian Niederlechner, with Kevin Trapp making a fine save with his foot, it was former FCA defender Hinteregger who rose to head in Daichi Kamada's cross and give the hosts a deserved lead before the break.

Another header saw Frankfurt double their advantage on the hour mark with Filip Kostic delivering his 12th assist of the season for Silva to nod in his 24th goal of the current campaign. Augsburg wasted the chance to grab a lifeline when Tuta was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the penalty area. VAR confirmed a penalty was the right decision, but Alfred Finnbogason sent the ball – and the Bavarians' hopes of a recovery – high into the Frankfurt sky. The hosts administered their advantage with only one more scare, as Ruben Vargas planted an effort against the left-hand post, to return to winning ways and reinforce their claim for Champions League football next season, whereas Augsburg's cushion over the relegation zone is slashed to seven points with four games of the season to go.

• Silva has scored 24 goals in the Bundesliga this season, second only to Lewandowski (35). The Portugal striker has found the back of the net five times in his last five outings, and also struck in last season's 5-0 home win over Augsburg.
• Kostic had two goals and two assists in that one-sided victory last February. The Serbian sits second behind Thomas Müller in the assists chart on 12, and has produced the most crosses from open play of any player in the division this term (165).
• Fourth-placed Frankfurt are hoping to qualify for Europe's top-tier club competition for only the second time in their history, having lost to Real Madrid in the 1960 European Cup final. They won the UEFA Cup – now the UEFA Europa League – in 1980.
• Augsburg have lost their last three Bundesliga meetings against Frankfurt by a combined score of 9-0, following a run of four wins in five encounters with the Eagles.
• Die Fuggerstädter have now lost seven of their last six away games in the league, with the only exception a 1-0 win at Mainz on 28 February.

Watch: Silva: "We could've created more chances"

Frankfurt: Trapp - Tuta, Hinteregger (Hasebe 46'), N'Dicka - Chandler (Durm 88'), Sow (Ilsanker 79'), Rode, Kostic - Kamada (Barkok 83') – Silva, Jovic (Younes 79')
Unused subs: Schubert, Hrustic, Zuber, Willems
Out: Ache (hamstring), Toure (pelvis)
Coach: Adi Hütter

Augsburg: Gikiewicz - Gumny, Suchy, Uduokhai (c), Pedersen - Oxford, Gruezo - Richter (Jensen 65'), Benes (Vargas 80'), Moravek (Strobl 64') – Niederlechner (Finnbogason 65')
Unused subs: Koubek, Gouweleeuw, Iago, Hahn, Framberger
Out: Bazee (ill), Caligiuri (suspended), Civeja (pelvis), Khedira (suspended)
Coach: Heiko Herrlich 

Watch: Hinteregger: "Champions League race is hot"