Silva strikes again for Frankfurt

Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 Cologne
Goals: 1-0 Silva (57'), 2-0 N'Dicka (79')

Without a league defeat since mid-December, Frankfurt dominated proceedings throughout the first half. Erik Durm warmed the palms of Timo Horn early on, before Silva sent a Filip Kostic free-kick wide of the mark. Horn denied the in-form Portugal international when through on goal, and was first to Frankfurt's next effort as Daichi Kamada failed to summon the necessary power with his free header from a Durm cross. Elvis Rexhbecaj tested Kevin Trapp against the run of play with a speculative attempt from range, but Cologne would have thanked themselves extremely fortunate still to be on level terms at the break after Kostic and Silva spurned further chances.

Cologne's Emmanuel Dennis skewed wide from inside the area soon after the restart, though the opening proved nothing more than a false dawn for the visitors. Silva forced another save from Horn and had a goal ruled out for offside following a VAR review, before breaking the deadlock with 57 minutes gone. Durm's shot from the edge of the area deflected off Kamada into the path of Silva, who deftly chipped over the advancing Horn to bring up his 18th Bundesliga goal of the season. The Billy Goats were much improved in the closing stages as Jannes Horn headed wide and Dennis whipped one past the upright, but Evan N'Dicka's towering header from a Kostic corner put the result beyond them.

• Silva is the Bundesliga's leading scorer in 2021 with nine goals. He is the first Frankfurt player in history to reach 18 Bundesliga goals after 21 rounds of fixtures.
• Kostic has contributed to nine goals in his last five Bundesliga matches (two goals, seven assists).
• N'Dicka scored for the second game in succession, with Kostic also the provider from a set-piece in the 3-1 win at Hoffenheim. It was Frankfurt's 13th goal from a dead-ball situation this term - a joint-league best shared with Borussia Mönchengladbach.
• Trapp kept his first Bundesliga clean sheet since February 2020.
• Frankfurt have won four in a row, and eight of their last 10 Bundesliga matches.
• The Eagles are the Bundesliga's most in-form team, taking 22 of a possible 24 points since the turn of the year.

Watch: Silva on Kostic's crosses: "They just come to me"

Frankfurt: Trapp - Tuta, Hinteregger, N'Dicka - Durm (Rode 70'), Sow (Jovic), Hasebe (c), Kostic - Kamada (Zuber 82'), Younes (Toure 71') - Silva (Hrustic 89')
Unused subs: Bördner, Ilsanker, Chandler, Barkok
Out: Schubert (ill)
Coach: Adi Hütter

Cologne: T. Horn (c) - Cestic, Mere, Czichos - Wolf (Limnios 82'), Skhiri, Özcan (Drexler 72'), J. Horn (Katterbach 85') - Duda, Rexhbecaj - Dennis (Arokodare 72')
Unused subs: Zieler, Schmitz, Ehizibue, Meyer, Thielmann
Out: Andersson (knee), Bornauw (back), Hector (muscular), Jakobs (ankle), Kainz (knee)
Coach: Markus Gisdol