Ekitiké orchestrates 3-0 victory for Frankfurt | OneFootball

Eintracht Frankfurt cruise to comfortable 3-0 victory over Heidenheim

Eintracht Frankfurt defeated Heidenheim 3-0 in a dominant display, with goals from Jean-Mattéo Bahoya, Robin Koch, and Hugo Ekitiké, solidifying their position in the race for Champions League football next season.

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Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 HeidenheimGoals: 1-0 Bahoya 10’ (assist: Chaïbi), 2-0 Koch 42’ (assist: Ekitiké), 3-0 Ekitiké 71’ (assist: Brown)

Eintracht Frankfurt welcomed Heidenheim to the Deutsche Bank Park with Champions League aspirations in their sights. Frankfurt manager Dino Toppmöller made four changes to his side, bringing in Rasmus Kristensen, Oscar Höjlund, Can Uzun, and Farès Chaïbi, while Heidenheim's Frank Schmidt kept faith with the same XI that narrowly lost to champions Leverkusen on Matchday 28. The home side entered the match looking to strengthen their position in the top four, while Heidenheim aimed to climb out of the relegation play-off spot.

Jean-Mattéo Bahoya celebrates after opening the scoring for Frankfurt in the 10th minute. (IMAGO/HMB Media/Claus)

Frankfurt take control

The home side started brightly, with Jean-Mattéo Bahoya nearly setting up a goal in the opening minutes. Frankfurt's early pressure paid off just minutes later, however, when Bahoya finished off a slick team move, slotting home from close range after good work from Hugo Ekitiké and Chaïbi in the 10th minute. Heidenheim had a chance to equalise shortly after, but Tim Siersleben's header was well saved by Kauã Santos. The match saw tempers flare in the 30th minute, with both Ekitiké and Niklas Dorsch receiving yellow cards after a heated exchange. Just before half-time, Robin Koch doubled Frankfurt's lead with a striker's finish, latching onto Ekitiké's layoff to make it 2-0.

Koch celebrates after scoring Frankfurt's second of the afternoon just before half-time. (IMAGO/Patrick Scheiber)

Heidenheim's missed opportunities

Heidenheim came out fighting in the second half, with substitute Sirlord Conteh making an immediate impact. The visitors created several chances, with Marvin Pieringer squandering a golden opportunity to halve the deficit. However, Frankfurt's defence held firm, and their clinical attack soon put the game beyond doubt. In the 71st minute, Ekitiké capped off a fantastic team move, finishing from close range after excellent work from Mario Götze, Chaïbi, and Nathaniel Brown. The goal was a testament tp Frankfurt's fluid attacking play and effectively sealed the three points for the home side. Despite having less possession (46%), Frankfurt's efficiency was evident in their superiority in the shots had on target (7 compared to Heidenheim's 3).

Player of the Match: Hugo Ekitiké

Ekitiké put in a stellar performance, contributing to all three goals and causing problems for the Heidenheim defence throughout the match. The French forward assisted Koch's goal, scored one himself, and was involved in the build-up to Bahoya's opener. Ekitiké's movement, link-up play, and clinical finishing were instrumental in Frankfurt's dominant display. His statistics back up his impressive performance, as he led the team in shots (4), challenges won (16), and pass efficiency (+3.53), truly earning his Player of the Match accolade.

Bundesliga Match FactsxGoals: Frankfurt 3.46 - Heidenheim 1.1Fastest player: Sirlord Calvin Conteh (Heidenheim), 35.57 km/hLowest goal probability: 3-0 by Hugo Ekitiké (Frankfurt), 98 percentMost pressed player: Adrian Beck (Heidenheim), 21 times under pressurePass efficiency: Hugo Ekitiké (Frankfurt), +3.53

Fantasy Heroes: Robin Koch (Frankfurt, 306 Points), Hugo Ekitiké (Frankfurt, 281 Points), Arthur Theate (Frankfurt, 277 Points)

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