Kruse and Silva double up in six-goal thriller

Union Berlin 3-3 Eintracht Frankfurt
Goals: 1-0 Andrich (2'), 2-0 Kruse (pen. 6'), 2-1 Silva (27'), 2-2 Silva (37'), 2-3 Dost (79'), 3-3 Kruse (82')

Union could hardly have made a better start, stunning Frankfurt with two goals inside just six minutes. Robert Andrich slotted in after visiting goalkeeper Kevin Trapp spilled a routine Marcus Ingvartsen cross, then Kruse converted a penalty when Liverpool loanee Taiwo Awoniyi was brought down by Martin Hinteregger. The capital club could have put the game out of sight within 15 minutes, but Trapp atoned for his earlier error by making excellent saves to deny first Awoniyi, and then Kruse and Awoniyi following a neat corner routine. Union keeper Andreas Luthe was a spectator for most of the opening half-hour, but found himself picking the ball out of his net after misjudging a brilliant Daichi Kamada cross, which Silva stabbed in to halve the deficit. The Portugal forward then doubled up with a superb glancing header from Filip Kostic's artfully struck free-kick, bringing Frankfurt level at 2-2 before half-time.

The hosts made a bright start to the second half, although Robin Knoche was unable to keep his effort down from a corner, and captain Christopher Trimmel's deflected attempt was easily gathered by Trapp. At the other end, Bas Dost forced Luthe to tip over the bar with a header from Kostic's cross. The game descended into rather a scrappy affair, with several players going into the book, before Frankfurt went close again, Silva clipping a shot just wide from another corner. The former AC Milan man looked determined to get his first Bundesliga hat-trick, testing Luthe again from a tight angle as both coaches began to ring the changes. Dost looked to have won it for Frankfurt when he swept in another excellent assist from Kamada with 11 minutes to go, but Kruse had other ideas. The former Germany international thundered in a goal of the season contender from outside the area, arrowing a gorgeous strike right into the top corner, as the two sides were forced to settle for a point.

• Union scored two goals inside the first six minutes of a Bundesliga game for the first time. They're up to 21 for the campaign, more than they managed throughout the entire first half of last season.
• Andrich only scored once in the Bundesliga last season, but he has already netted three times in nine games in 2020/21.
• Kruse, now up to six goals and five assists this season, has successfully converted 17 of his 18 Bundesliga penalties. His only miss came against Cologne on Matchday 8, and he still managed to score on the rebound.
• Silva has notched two Bundesliga braces, both in Berlin. He scored twice in a 4-1 win over Hertha on 13 June 2020, and twice against Union today.
• The 37-time Portugal international is up to seven goals for the campaign, having found the back of the net in six of his nine appearances. He was Frankfurt's top scorer with 12 last term.
• Dost netted for the first time since Frankfurt's Matchday 3 win over Hoffenheim.
• Frankfurt have drawn their last four Bundesliga games, and five of the last six.

Union: Luthe - Trimmel (c), Friedrich, Knoche, Lenz - Prömel (Griesbeck 84'), Andrich - Becker (Gogia 73'), Kruse, Ingvartsen (Bülter 84') - Awoniyi
Unused subs: Karius, Ryerson, Maciejewski, Hübner, Gießelmann
Out: Endo (thigh), Gentner (muscular), Pohjanpalo (ankle), Schlotterbeck (thigh), Ujah (knee)
Coach: Urs Fischer 

Frankfurt: Trapp - Abraham (c), Hinteregger, N'Dicka - Durm (da Costa 78'), Ilsanker, Sow (Rode 87'), Kostic - Kamada - Dost, Silva
Unused subs: Schubert, Hrustic, Zuber, Toure, Hasebe, Kohr, Tuta
Out: Ache (hamstring), Barkok (not included)
Coach: Adi Hütter