Frankfurt Storms to 6-4 Victory in Gladbach
Eintracht Frankfurt produced a wild Bundesliga spectacle in Mönchengladbach, eventually beating Borussia Mönchengladbach 6-4 after an astonishing first half that left the home side shell-shocked. The visitors raced into a 5-0 lead by the break and added one more after the restart, while Gladbach staged a late rally that proved not enough to salvage the afternoon.
First half: Clinical finish meets chaotic defense
From the early stages, Frankfurt showed intent and precision. A corner sketched in by Fares Chaibi found Robin Koch at the far post, and his header opened the scoring in the 11th minute. Less than five minutes later, a sharp finish from Ansgar Knauff doubled the advantage as the visitors cut through the home side with ease. Jonathan Burkardt struck in the 36th minute, and Chaibi continued the scoring spree in the 39th minute to make it 4-0. The sequence was completed by Can Uzun in the 45th+1 minute, who struck to make it 5-0 at halftime. Uzun extended his personal Bundesliga scoring streak with a goal in a fifth consecutive league game, underscoring Frankfurt’s offensive efficiency.
Second half: Gladbach finally finds an outlet, but the deficit proves insurmountable
Gladbach responded after the break with renewed purpose, and Jens Castrop pulled one back in the 72nd minute. Haris Tabakovic headed in from a corner to reduce the deficit further in the 78th, and Yannik Engelhardt added a third in the 83rd. The revival finally sparked some expectancy among the home fans, but the clock ticked against them. In stoppage time, Grant-Leon Ranos headed home to briefly lift the mood as the end looked to slip away, but Frankfurt closed out the match with a 6-4 victory.
Managerial decisions, momentum, and standings
Interim coach Eugen Polanski attempted to spark a comeback through substitutions, including bringing on Florian Neuhaus and Haris Tabakovic, but the early flood of goals had already done most of the damage. For Frankfurt, the win helped them rebound from a 3:4 home defeat to Union Berlin and temporarily climbed to fourth place in the table. Gladbach, meanwhile, endured a difficult night and extended a season-long winless run that pushed them toward the bottom of the standings, amplifying the pressure on the squad and staff.
What’s next for both teams
Looking ahead, Gladbach welcome Freiburg in their next league match as they search for a sorely needed response. Frankfurt turn attention to European duties, traveling to Atletico Madrid for a Champions League fixture before returning to Bundesliga action with a clash against Bayern Munich, a game likely to test their improved form further.
Key takeaways
The match underlined Frankfurt’s ability to punish opponents with rapid transitions and clinical finishing, with Uzun, Knauff, Burkardt, and Koch delivering standout moments in the opening scoreline. Gladbach showed resilience in the second half, but the early deficit proved too large to overturn, underscoring ongoing defensive issues that need addressing under Polanski’s stewardship.
