Bundesliga

2019-02-22T15:05:00Z

Frankfurt sweep aside Shakhtar to reach Europa League last 16

Luka Jovic (l.) gave Eintracht Frankfurt the lead with his 20th goal of the season, before Sebastien Haller (2nd l.) added two more to pave the way for victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Europa League round of 32.
Luka Jovic (l.) gave Eintracht Frankfurt the lead with his 20th goal of the season, before Sebastien Haller (2nd l.) added two more to pave the way for victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Europa League round of 32.

Eintracht Frankfurt's deadly trio of Luka Jovic, Sebastien Haller and Ante Rebic were each on the scoresheet as the Eagles produced a stunning 4-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in their UEFA Europa League round-of-32 second leg on Thursday to reach the last 16 of the competition.

Eintracht Frankfurt 4-1 Shakhtar Donetsk (6-3 on aggregate)
Goals: 1-0 Jovic (23'), 2-0 Haller (pen. 27'), 2-1 Moraes (63'), 3-1 Haller (80'), 4-1 Rebic (88')

A raucous home crowd witnessed the home side take complete control of the tie almost from kick-off at the Commerzbank-Arena, the Eagles not giving their visitors a moment's rest in seizing the early initiative. The tactic soon paid off as Adi Hütter's men scored twice inside four first-half minutes. First, Danny Da Costa’s cut back was lashed home by Jovic for the striker’s 20th goal of the season in all competitions. Moments later, Frankfurt were 2-0 up after Mykola Matviyenko handled in his own area, allowing Haller to calmly slot home from the spot.

Frankfurt refused to rest on their laurels after the interval, however, and flew out of the traps in the second half as they looked to kill the game off. Shakhtar refused to go out without a fight, though, and managed to pull one back through Junior Moraes midway through the second half. The visitors went on to twice strike the crossbar, but Frankfurt - as they have been all season - were clinical on the counter. Haller all but wrapped up victory with another cool finish with ten minutes to go, before Rebic put the outcome beyond all doubt with a stunning individual goal shortly before the end, dribbling past three defenders and scoring from the edge of the box to crown a memorable European night.

Sebastien Haller took his tally for the season to five in the Europa League and 16 overall with his brace against Shakhtar.

Match stats

Line-ups

Frankfurt: Trapp – Abraham (c), Hinteregger, N'Dicka – da Costa, Hasebe, Rode (Willems 74'), Kostic – Gacinovic (de Guzman 90') - Haller, Jovic (Rebic 71')
Unused subs: Rönnow, Falette, Russ, Paciencia
Out: Fernandes (muscular), Chandler (knee), Stendera (illness), Torro (pelvis), Traore (ineligible)
Coach: Adi Hütter

Shakhtar: Pyatov (c) - Butko (Bolbat 65'), Khocholava, Matviyenko, Ismaily - Kovalenko, Patrick - Marlos, Taison, Solomon (Maycon 46') - Moraes
Unused subs: Trubin, Kayode, Malyshev, Bondar, Fernando
Out: Bondarenko (muscular), Dentinho (ankle), Ordets (thigh), Shevchenko (unknown), Stepanenko (suspended)
Coach: Paulo Fonseca

Luka Jovic is seemingly unplayable at present, the 20-year-old netting the all-important opener in the 23rd minute.

AS IT HAPPENED!

FRANKFURT 4-1 SHAKHTAR (6-3 on aggregate)
Goals: 1-0 Jovic (23'), 2-0 Haller (pen. 27'), 2-1 Moraes (63'), 3-1 Haller (80'), 4-1 Rebic (88')

95' FULL-TIME: FRANKFURT 4-1 SHAKHTAR 

Frankfurt are through to the last-16 of the UEFA Europa League thanks to a 4-1 win on the night and 6-3 victory on aggregate over Shakhtar. Goals from - who else? - Jovic, Haller (2) and Rebic seal a fully deserved, emphatic victory for Eintracht. They'll take some stopping if they carry on like this.

90+1 FIVE MINUTES ADDED ON

We have five minutes of stoppage time here. Time for one more goal?

90' FRANKFURT SUB: DE GUZMAN FOR GACINOVIC

A final late change for the hosts.

88' GOAL! FRANKFURT 4-1 SHAKHTAR (REBIC)

What a fine goal this is. Kostic steals a Shakhtar throw-in and stabs it into Rebic's path, the Frankfurt forward driving forward before unleashing an arrowed finish into the bottom corner from 20-yards. A great goal and Rebic's first in Europe this season.

86' A FINAL FLURRY?

Shakhtar are still pressing but that third Frankfurt goal seems to have taken the wind out of their sails a bit. We've had eight goals (and counting) across these two matches so far. It's been great fun.

80' GOAL! FRANKFURT 3-1 SHAKHTAR (HALLER)

What. A. Finish. Haller has his second and he surely puts the game beyond Shakhtar's reach now. Another fine Frankfurt counter sees Kostic set Haller free and the French striker fools Pyatov with a stepover before sliding home his second of the night. Clinical.

79' OFF THE BAR... AGAIN!

Oh, wow. This game is very much on and Shakhtar again rattle the bar. A superb Taison header from the edge of the 18-yard box hits the crossbar and is then cleared by Trapp. We've got a fantastic finish in store here.

74' FRANKFURT SUB: WILLEMS FOR RODE

Another change for Frankfurt and this time it's Willems on for Rode. Some fresh legs needed in that midfield, you feel.

72' FRANKFURT SUB: REBIC FOR JOVIC

Now then, Jovic - who has been superb tonight - is taken off and Rebic is the replacement. Some player to bring on.

71' OFF THE BAR!

What an effort this is. Marlos cuts inside from the right and unleashes a rocket that beats Trapp but not the bar. Incredible strike but Frankfurt still lead. Just.

70' SEEING YELLOW

We've actually had five bookings in this match already. None have been anything serious, just niggly fouls that are adding up. For the hosts, Haller is the latest to join Rode and Abraham in the book. The visitors have seen yellows handed to Matviyenko and Moraes.

66' SHAKHTAR SUB: BOLBAT FOR BUTKO

A second change for the visitors as Bolbat jogs on for Butko.

63' GOAL! FRANKFURT 2-1 SHAKHTAR (MORAES)

How has that gone in? After some lovely build-up play, Moraes heads Ismaily's cross at goal and somehow it squirms through Trapp's legs and into the back of the net. All of a sudden Shakhtar are back in this.

60' JOVIC GETTING CLOSER

Jovic looks so dangerous whenever Frankfurt break forward. He's nearly found by Kostic first of all and then just seconds later he's through again but chips wide after being forced away from goal. Frankfurt still look like scoring with every attack.

53' OUTTA NOWHERE...

Pyatov is left scrambling across his six yard box as Kostic lashes a cross in from the left that almost catches the Shakhtar 'keeper out. It ends up going out for a goal-kick but almost gave Frankfurt a third out of nothing.

48' NO DICE

... a good position but Kostic hits it straight into the wall. Lively start to this second-half.

47' FANTASTIC FOOTWORK

Oh, Haller, that is naughty. A lovely bit of skill on the edge of the area wins Frankfurt a free-kick on the edge of the area and earns Khocholava a yellow-card. Good position...

46' 2ND HALF KICKS OFF

Shakhtar get us underway, for whom Maycon has come on for Solomon at half-time. Frankfurt are unchanged and in charge...

HALF-TIME: FRANKFURT 2-0 SHAKHTAR

That first-half couldn't have gone better for Frankfurt who are now just 45 minutes away from the last-16. Goals from - you guessed it - Jovic and Haller have made it 2-0 on the night and 4-2 on aggregate to the hosts. Adi Hütter will be chuffed, and rightly so. His team have been excellent.

44' DEVASTATING DUO

Jovic and Haller now have an incredible 35 goals between them in all comps this season. Insanely good return.

38' AS IT STANDS...

Those two Frankfurt strikes in just four minutes puts them in absolute control of this tie; they lead 4-2 on aggregate and have two away goals from that first-leg. Shakhtar - on the other hand - need two more just to take us to extra-time and possibly penalties.

31’ CLOSE AGAIN

Frankfurt look like scoring with every attack now. Haller and Jovic both go close to adding a third. You sense another goal in this half.

28’ BOOKING: MATVIYENKO (SHAKHTAR)

For his role in the penalty.

27' GOAL! FRANKFURT 2-0 SHAKHTAR (HALLER)

Frankfurt are coasting now. Haller makes it 2-0 from the spot after some poor defending from Shakhtar, Matviyenko handling after taking his eyes completely off the ball. It was a confident penalty from Haller, he just rolls it home. Superb start.

23' GOAL! FRANKFURT 1-0 SHAKHTAR (JOVIC)

A superb finish from Jovic and it's his 20th of the season in all comps. That man da Costa has well and truly ran his nock off. He stays onside superbly and then squares perfectly to Jovic, who thunders past Pyatov to give the Shakhtar 'keeper no chance. Great goal.

21' DA COSTA CONCERN

A bit of a worry here for Frankfurt as da Costa is innocently caught off the ball and he's stayed down for some attention from the physio. It looks like he will try and run it off but he's still hobbling.

16' A GLIMPSE OF GOAL

Haller has the first meaningful effort on goal but he can only head wide Kostic's cross from the left. Far from an easy chance and some fine work from Kostic to find the Frenchman.

14' SHAKHTAR'S SOUNDTRACK

You can hear a rare spell of possession for the visitors a mile away as the home fans make an ear blasting whistle to "welcome" their guests getting on the ball. It's deafening in Frankfurt.

11' A CENTRAL BITE

Frankfurt have been doing a fine job of winning possession back so far. Hasebe and Rode, in particular, are giving Shakhtar no time at all on the ball.

7' FRANKFURT IN CONTROL

It's all the home side so far, they've had the majority of possession and look comfortable. No real chances to speak of so far but a good start from the hosts.

1' FIRST-HALF KICKS-OFF

Right then, here we go. We're in for a fascinating night in Frankfurt. Tifos unfurled, flags waving, drums drumming, Frankfurt in their home all-black kit and Shakhtar in a grey away strip with more familiar orange socks...

EDGING CLOSE TO KICK-OFF

The two teams are out of the tunnel at the Commerzbank-Arena, which - by the way - is in fine voice tonight. A packed stadium eagerly anticipating what promises to be a cracker of a second-leg.

SOLOMON STARTS

One to keep an eye on in the Shakhtar ranks tonight is Manor Solomon, the 19-year-old making his full professional debut tonight. He got his first run out as a substitute for tonight's visitors in the 2-2 draw between these two in the first-leg.

JOVIC IS BACK

We had wondered earlier whether Jovic would start and we now have our answer. The 21-year-old with 19 goals in 29 games across all competitions partners Sebastien Haller in attack tonight. Do you know he has been likened more than once to Radamel Falcao?

WILL SGE REACH EUROPE AGAIN NEXT YEAR?

Frankfurt are clearly very much alive in Europe this season but they are still in the middle of a fierce battle for continental qualification for next term. Click here to read all the permutations for a thrilling European race in the Bundesliga that goes as deep as tenth.

“DESPERATE TO MAKE LAST-16”

Makoto Hasebe has also been in front of the cameras this week, saying Frankfurt are “desperate to reach the next round.” We recently named him in the top-three Japan players to play in the Bundesliga. Click here to read that in full.

THREE’S THE MAGIC NUMBER

The numbers Frankfurt’s forwards have been posting this season are insane. Haller, Jovic and Rebic have 40 goals between them, Jovic is the second-highest Europa League scorer (five) and they have 66 per cent of their teams goals in all competitions. Madness. Click here to read more about the prolific goalbrokers of Germany’s financial capital.

"DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PRETTY"

The Eagles boss has also been talking about tonight's opposition, and it's clear a win by any means will make Hütter a happy man.

"We won't simply be able to get forward and score goals whenever we want. Shakhtar have got great quality when you give them space. It doesn't have to be pretty tomorrow, we just have to reach the next round."

"NITTY-GRITTY"

Frankfurt coach Adi Hütter was on media duties yesterday, where he welcomed the "nitty-gritty" nature of the knockout stage. He also confirmed Gelson Fernandes will miss out tonight but Sebastian Rode and David Abraham should both be fit.

EAGLES FLYING

The 2-2 draw in the first-leg was the first Europa League match of the season in which Eintracht have not emerged victorious. A perfect record in Group H saw them through to this stage and they are one of just four teams left in the competition that remain unbeaten.

WELCOME!

Hello and welcome to our build-up and live coverage of the UEFA Europa League last-32 second-leg between Eintracht Frankfurt and Shakhtar Donetsk (kick-off 6:55p.m.CET/5:55p.m.GMT/12:55p.m.EST).

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