Comfortable home win against Heidenheim | OneFootball

Eintracht Frankfurt produced a fine performance to beat 1. FC Heidenheim 3-0, thanks to goals from Jean-Mattéo Bahoya (10’), Robin Koch (42’) and Hugo Ekitiké (71’).

Bahoya finished off a flowing Eintracht move to open the scoring at Deutsche Bank Park, and Koch’s composed finish gave Dino Toppmöller’s side a richly deserved two-goal cushion at the interval. Ekitiké completed the scoring in the second half with his 14th goal of the season, as Eintracht moved three points clear of third-placed Leipzig in the Bundesliga standings.

Three changes after Spurs

Oscar Højlund, Can Uzun and Farès Chaibi were all restored as Eintracht boss Toppmöller opted for three changes after Thursday’s Europa League first-leg draw at Tottenham Hotspur. Hugo Larsson, Mario Götze and Nathaniel Brown were the players to make way against the Bundesliga strugglers.

Dominant Eagles soar into lead

The visitors belied their lowly position in the table with a bright start, but it was Eintracht who took the lead after just ten minutes. Ekitiké and Chaibi linked up brilliantly inside the penalty area before the Tunisian picked out Bahoya, who side-footed the ball into the far corner for his third goal of the season in all competitions. Ekitiké had a powerful drive saved by Heidenheim goalkeeper Kevin Müller and Arthur Theate struck the side-netting after getting on the end of the Frenchman’s teasing cross, but the Eagles eventually doubled their advantage shortly before half-time.

Ekitiké beat Benedikt Gimber to Theate’s low delivery from the left before teeing up Koch, who steered a precise shot into the bottom corner to give Toppmöller’s team a comfortable lead at the break. Heidenheim had a decent counter-attacking opportunity on the stroke of half-time, but Marvin Pieringer was unable to trouble Kauã Santos, leaving the visitors with a mountain to climb.

Ekitiké wraps up win

Pieringer squandered another golden chance 13 minutes into the second half, shooting wide of Santos’ goal after getting on the end of Sirlord Conteh’s pass. Heidenheim defender Tim Siersleben somehow prevented Chaibi from netting Eintracht’s third shortly afterwards, deflecting the 22-year-old’s shot onto the crossbar after more fine work from Ekitiké down the left, before Müller denied the Frenchman again with another impressive stop.

Ekitiké was not to be denied, though, wrapping up the victory with 71 minutes on the clock. Chaibi did well to spot the run of second-half substitute Nathaniel Brown, whose square ball left the striker with a simple finish. The visitors had Müller to thank for denying the Eagles an even more comfortable win after the ’keeper thwarted Theate and winter arrival Elye Wahi late on, but Eintracht were celebrating at the end after consolidating their place in the Bundesliga’s top four with five rounds of fixtures left to play.