DFB Cup: Eintracht wins a fast-paced cup derby against Darmstadt

Eintracht Frankfurt ended the winning streak of second division leaders Darmstadt 98 in a fast-paced Hessen derby and secured their ticket to the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup for the 19th time.

The Bundesliga soccer club won the six-goal spectacle 4: 2 (2: 2) and inflicted the 20-time undefeated Lilien their first competitive defeat since July 16, 2022. “It was a deserved win,” said Eintracht sports director Markus Krösche.

In front of 49,500 spectators in the sold-out Frankfurt Arena, Randal Kolo Muani (6th/90th minute), Rafael Borré (44th) and Daichi Kamada (62nd) scored the goals for Eintracht, which is now in three competitions and the The long-term goal of Berlin came one step closer. Mathias Honsak (29th/31st) scored twice for the second division leaders.

Brave outsider

“We played a good game overall and luckily we were able to top it off with the third and fourth goals,” said Kolo Muani. The mood of the guests was completely different. “It’s very sad that we lost the game. We’re very sad, but we can also be proud of how we presented ourselves,” said Honsak.

The outsider from Darmstadt started courageously and tried to develop his own offensive actions. But the guests were caught off guard with the first Eintracht attack. Aurelio Buta crossed from the right into the middle, where Kolo Muani got a free header and passed Lilien goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen with an arc lamp into the far post. It was the 13th goal in a competitive game for the French runners-up, who joined Eintracht from FC Nantes on a free transfer last summer.

Just five minutes after taking the lead, Rafael Borré, who had replaced the injured Jesper Lindström in the starting XI, could have made the difference. But the completely free Colombian shot the ball over the goal from seven meters. The preliminary work had come from Buta again.

A little later there was a moment of shock when Darmstadt’s Jannik Müller and Frankfurt’s Tuta crashed their heads in an aerial duel and lay dazed. After a break in treatment, however, both were able to continue with a head bandage.

Shocked Favorite

Frankfurt continued to dominate the game and came up with the next big opportunity through Mario Götze. After a pass from winter newcomer Philipp Max, the 2014 world champion failed at close range because of shoes. This usury of chances should take revenge, because the second division turned the game around with a double strike within two minutes. Both times, Honsak, who had scored twice in the most recent 4-0 win in Sandhausen, used a lack of attention on Eintracht’s defense.

The favorites seemed shocked and then made further weaknesses, which Darmstadt almost used for the third goal. However, Phillip Tietz missed in a promising position. At the other end, Kolo Muani missed the equalizer with a header, which came before the break. Captain Sebastian Rode passed Götze, who passed it straight on to Borré and the attacker kept his nerve this time and completed the shot.

When it came about, the Darmstadt team later complained about an alleged foul play on Fabian Holland, which referee Felix Zwayer had not punished. “It was a foul, the goal shouldn’t count,” complained Honsak.

The first dangerous offensive action after the change belonged to the guests, but Eintracht celebrated after just over an hour. Kolo Muani put his head down to Kamada and the Japanese threw the ball into the corner from 17 yards out. However, Darmstadt did not give up. Tietz (65th) only hit the post from close range, and shortly afterwards Marvin Mehlem even hit the goal. The midfielder was ruled offside. Honsak missed the equalizer fifteen minutes before the end, so there was no surprise at the end. The in-form Kolo Muani made everything clear with a counterattack shortly before the end.