Bundesliga
Maxence Lacroix completed a disappointing week for Eintracht Frankfurt with the only goal of the game earning Wolfsburg their first win of the season.
Frankfurt 0-1 Wolfsburg
Goals: 0-1 Lacroix 60’1 (assist: Brekalo)
Bidding to put their midweek UEFA Champions League debut disappointment behind them, Frankfurt picked up the pursuit of an early goal and Randal Kolo Muani surged forward with Paulo Otavio having to sacrifice a yellow card to halt his run just before he entered the penalty area. Though nothing ultimately came of the free-kick, it was yet another example of the Frankfurt forward’s ominous pace and presence, which has been causing a nuisance to many defenders this season. At the other end, Kevin Trapp showed his quick reflexes to deny Bartol Franjic after he ghosted in for a free header at the far post, and the Frankfurt goalkeeper had to be at full stretch to turn Matthias Svanberg’s daisy-cutter away. Back at the other end of the field, Rafael Borre flashed an angled effort over the crossbar before Kristijan Jakic rattled the post with a shot Koen Casteels will have seen barely as a blur as it passed him.
Daichi Kamada, making his 100th Bundesliga appearance, released Kolo Muani for Frankfurt’s first attack of the second half, but the Wolfsburg defence had anticipated it this time and the danger was averted. The Wolves then took their first chance of the second half with Trapp failing to reach a Josip Brekalo corner as Lacroix towered above everybody to head in only his second Bundesliga goal. Lukas Nmecha had the ball in the back of the net once again just minutes later, but the offside flag came to the home team’s rescue. Oliver Glasner gambled, with Lucas Alario and Jesper Lindstrom sent on to shake things up, and they did just that. The Deutsche Bank Park fans tried to lift their Eagles too, but the Wolves shut up shop and frustrated their hosts, winning the lion’s share of their challenges to justify their advantage. For Frankfurt, it was a second home defeat in a week, after losing to Sporting Lisbon, while Niko Kovac’s men finally were able to celebrate their first Bundesliga win of the season, and their coach's first in the Bundesliga since 2019.
Frankfurt: Trapp (c) - Jakic, Tuta, Ndicka, Pellegrini - Knauff (Alidou 82'), Sow, Götze, Kamada (Lindstrom 64') - Kolo Muani, Borre (Alario 64')
Unused subs: Ramaj, Hasebe, Smolcic, Chandler, Dina Ebimbe, Wenig
Out: Buta (knee), Lenz (thigh), Onguene (groin), Rode (thigh), Toure (muscular)
Coach: Oliver Glasner
Wolfsburg: Casteels - Baku, Lacroix, Van de Ven, Otavio - Svanberg (F. Nmecha 79'), Franjic (Guilavogui 64'), Arnold (c) - Waldschmidt (Marmoush 79'), L. Nmecha, Brekalo (Gerhardt 89')
Unused subs: Pervan, Fischer, Bornauw, Kaminski, Paredes
Out: Wimmer (head), Roussillon (Achilles), Wind (thigh)
Coach: Niko Kovac