Bundesliga
Frankfurt into Europa League quarter-finals
Eintracht Frankfurt joined Bundesliga rivals RB Leipzig in the UEFA Europa League quarter-final draw, thanks to a last-minute extra-time win over Spain’s Real Betis.
Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Real Betis (agg: 3-2, Frankfurt win after extra time)
Goals: 0-1 Iglesias (assist: Fekir) 90', 1-1 Rodriguez (assist: Kostic) 120'+1
Defending a 2-1 lead from the first leg in Spain, but with away goals a thing of the past, Frankfurt survived a couple of early scares as Miranda blazed over and had another effort charged down. Eintracht’s response was almost emphatic, but Borussia Dortmund loanee Ansgar Knauff’s drive from inside the area came back off the crossbar. Rafael Santos Borre missed a sitter late in the first half, though his blushes would have been saved by a late offside flag.
The hero of Frankfurt’s run to the 2018/19 semi-finals, Martin Hinteregger came up with a big block to deny Joaquin soon after the restart. Kevin Trapp then pulled off a sensational diving save to thwart Juanmi, but not before Filip Kostic had thundered a free-kick against the woodwork. Substitute Borja Iglesias fluffed his lines from eight yards out, only to atone with a 90th-minute tie leveller. Betis hit the crossbar in extra-time, but the Eagles won through at the last as Guido Rodriguez inadvertently turned in Kostic's 121st-minute free-kick.
Match stats
- Frankfurt last reached the Europa League quarter-finals in 2018/19, beating Benfica on away goals on their way to the semis.
- Six of the starting line-up against Betis were involved in that fary-tale run.
- Eintracht won the competition under its former UEFA Cup guise, in 1980.
- They beat Borussia Mönchengladbach on away goals in the 1980 final, and could face Bundesliga club Leipzig in the last eight of this season's tournament.
- Kamada is Frankfurt’s top scorer in Europe this season with four goals. He’s also the highest scoring Japanese player in UEFA Cup/Europa League history with 10 in 18 games.
- Frankfurt extended their unbeaten run against Spanish opposition to seven games.
Line-ups
Frankfurt: Trapp (c) - Tuta, Hinteregger, N'Dicka - Knauff, Sow (Rode 104'), Jakic, Kostic - Lindstrom (Lammers 84'), Kamada (Hauge 66') - Borre (Paciencia 83')
Unused subs: Grahl, Hrustic, Toure, Hasebe, Chandler, Lenz, Barkok
Out: Ache (hamstring), Durm (ineligible), Ilsanker (ineligible), Ramaj (knee), da Costa (pelvis)
Coach: Oliver Glasner
Betis: Silva - Sabaly, Pezzella, Bartra, Miranda (Juanmi 46') - Rodriguez, Canales (William Carvalho 66') - Joaquin (c) (Lainez 66'), Fekir (Rodri 110'), Ruibal - Willian Jose (Borja Iglesias 78')
Unused subs: Robles, Bravo, Gonzalez, Ruiz, Bellerin
Out: Akouokou (ineligible), Montoya (Achilles)
Coach: Manuel Pellegrini
As it happened!
1 - 1(0 - 0)
Frankfurt
FINAL
Betis
vs
Amazing ending, congrats Eintracht
Would you honestly believe it? Sensational. Oliver Glasner is doing his best impression of an Eagle, arms spread wide as he races across the pitch. Just when we seemed all set for penalties, Hinteregger stooped to edge past the distraught Rui Silva, who really shouldn't have come for that, not that these home fans care. Frankfurt are into the last eight!
vs
GOAL GOAL GOAL
SCENES ! Kostic lifts one very last free kick into the area and Hinteregger stoops to nod past the advancing keeper. Unbelievable ! The Eagles are going through !
120'
vs
Rodriguez
vs
Hauge indecision
Hauge races into the Betis area but he's caught in two minds as to whether to shoot or pass and his indecision allows the visiting defenders in to clear.
vs
Paciencia header
Paciencia can't get any power behind a header from Jakic's inviting centre and Rui Silva is able to gather with ease. That was a decent chance for the hosts.
vs
Ruibal sees yellow
Knauff powers down the wing and is upended by the tumbling Aitor Ruibal, who goes into the referee's notebook.
110'
vs
Ruibal
110'
vs
Rodri
Fekir
vs
Betis hit the bar
So, so close for the visitors and it's Iglesias again in the right place at the right time after Lainez's shot was diverted into the the No. 9s path and his header bounces back off the upright.
vs
We go again ...
The teams have 15 minutes to avoid a shootout.
vs
Extra break
Half time in extra time and it's tricky to see where a winner might come from here. Both sets of teams are out on their feet.
104'
vs
Sam Lammers
Djibril Sow
104'
vs
Sebastian Rode
Jesper Lindström
vs
Eintracht shout
Hauge goes down in the Betis box with Pezzella in close attendance. Nothing doing, says the ref.
vs
Tired legs
Lindstrom stretches to try and control a long ball on the right, but the Dane can't quite keep that under control. Some weary legs out there, unsurprisingly.
vs
Handbags
Kostic and Lainez clash down by the touchline and several players from both sides get involved. The referee breaks it up and we're underway once more.
vs
Extra time underway
Frankfurt get the ball rolling in the first period of extra time. Are we to have a winner in the next 30 minutes or will we go all the way to penalties?
vs
Extra time !
Amazing. Just when it looked like Frankfurt had done enough, Betis pop up at the death to send this game into extra time. We'll have 30 extra minutes to decide who goes through to the quarter finals.
90'
vs
Goal ! Iglesias
Borja Iglesias gets to the near post and converts Fekir's cross from the left ! Betis have done it right at the death. The men in green and white go wild.
86'
vs
Iglesias off target
Borja Iglesias lashes over from eight yards and out on the touchline, Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini slaps his hands atop his head. A huge chance for the visitors.
83'
vs
Goncalo Paciencia
Rafael Borré
82'
vs
Hosts firing
The stats show a combined total of 24 efforts on goal, Eintracht leading with 15 to Betis's nine. Still no goals thus far, though.
80'
vs
Time running out
Kevin Trapp takes his time over a goal kick. As things stand, the Bundesliga side are ten minutes away from reaching the Europa League quarter finals.
78'
vs
Iglesias
Willian Jose
69'
vs
Pezzella sees yellow
Pezzella upends Hauge and the Betis man is booked.
69'
vs
Pezzella
66'
vs
Carvalho
Canales
66'
vs
Lainez
Joaquin
66'
vs
Jens Petter Hauge
Daichi Kamada
65'
vs
Super Trapp !
What a save from Kevin Trapp who denies Juanmi with a wonderful, flying one-handed stop. Top class.
62'
vs
Kostic hits the post
So, so close again for Eintracht, who have now hit the woodwork twice in this second leg, Kostic the latest to hit the frame of the goal with a free kick.
62'
vs
Juanmi
53'
vs
Hinteregger stands strong
Joaquin somehow squeezes through a gap but the Betis captain's shot is well blocked by the sliding Hinteregger. Great defending.
48'
vs
Betis pressure
Fekir's corner creates some danger and Sabaly eventually gets a shot at goals which is deflected wide. Juanmi heads over from the subsequent corner.
46'
vs
Second half is GO !
We're back underway in Frankfurt. Betis make a change with Pellegrini throwing Juanmi into the mix, Miranda the player to make way.
46'
vs
Juanmi
Miranda
vs
All square at the break
Eintracht came closest to scoring in the opening 45 minutes, with Knauff very unlucky to find the woodwork after being played in by Sow. Oliver Glasner will be more than satisfied with Eintracht's efforts in that half. The Eagles maintain their 2-1 aggregate advantage.
42'
vs
Borre let off
Frankfurt fans have heads in hands as Borre diverts one wide when all on his own in front of the target. It's just as well for the Colombian forward that there was an offside flag up in the build up. That was a hell of a chance.
41'
vs
Miranda ok to continue
Miranda - previously down receiving treatment following a bang to the head - is back into the action following a brief scare.
28'
vs
Willian José off target
Sabaly menaces down the right and wins Betis a corner. From the subsequent set-piece, Willian José sends a header over the top.
17'
vs
Eintracht building
The men in black look to have finally found their rhythm and are beginning to build some nice attacks. Sow lashes a low shot into the arms of goalkeeper Rui Silva from the edge of the area.
13'
vs
Off the bar !!!
A sudden burst forward from the Eagles ends with Sow threading a superb pass through for Knauff who prods a high shot goalwards and is left crestfallen as his effort cannons off the crossbar.
9'
vs
Verdiblancos edging it
The visitors are looking ever more sharper in attack as they take a foothold of this second leg. Miranda has a swipe at goal but his shot is defected away. Coach Glasner is calling for calm from the Eintracht bench.
6'
vs
First chance Betis
Loose defending from Frankfurt allows Joaquin plenty of space to cut back for Miranda, who blasts over the top.
3'
vs
Cracking atmosphere
The home fans are making plenty of noise as both teams size each other up in the opening stages.
1'
vs
Game on !
The ball is rolling in Frankfurt as the hosts look to make it through to the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals.
vs
It's almost time
So, we're all set for what is only the second meeting between these teams in European competition. Lest we forget, Eintracht lead 2-1 on aggregate thanks to goals from Filip Kostić and Daichi Kamada in the first leg.