Ekitiké and Højlund on target in deserved win | OneFootball

Eintracht Frankfurt beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 thanks to Hugo Ekitiké’s first-half strike (18’) and Oscar Højlund’s effort in second-half stoppage time.

Ekitike converted Rasmus Kristensen’s low cross to give the Eagles a deserved lead in the first half. Dortmund improved after the break, but Dino Toppmöller’s team sealed an impressive victory when Højlund finished off a clinical counter-attack late on.

Knauff restored to starting XI

Ansgar Knauff replaced Omar Marmoush in the only change from Tuesday’s comfortable 4-1 victory over SC Freiburg at Deutsche Bank Park. Eintracht are currently in talks with another club regarding the transfer of Marmoush, who was not included in Friday’s matchday squad.

Eagles firmly on top

Hugo Larsson tested Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel’s reflexes not long after kick-off, but the Eagles had the woodwork to thank on nine minutes when Serhou Guirassy headed against the foot of the post from Julian Ryerson’s cross. That was the closest the visitors came to a first-half goal, however, as the home side quickly took control of proceedings.

They went in front when Kristensen played a one-two with Ekitiké in midfield before racing down the right-hand side and returning the ball to the Frenchman on the edge of the six-yard box. Ekitiké’s first-time shot through Waldemar Anton’s legs left Kobel with no chance, as the forward lifted his goal tally for the season to 13 in all competitions. It could have been 2-0 before the interval, but Knauff was denied by the inside of the post after cutting onto his right foot and Ekitiké blazed over the bar at the end of a flowing move.

Højlund off the mark

Kevin Trapp made a smart save to deny Yan Couto four minutes after the restart as Dortmund began the second half with greater urgency. Jamie Gittens sent a shot straight at the Eagles goalkeeper, while Guirassy went close again when he fired over the crossbar under pressure from Robin Koch. The striker very nearly got on the end of a Couto cross midway through the second period, but he failed to sort his feet out quickly enough as the delivery whistled across the face of goal.

The visitors applied heavy pressure late on in search of an equaliser, but Eintracht clinched the points in stoppage time through one of their second-half substitutes. Can Uzun’s pass deflected off Nico Schlotterbeck into the path of Højlund, who was able to race clear and finish coolly past Kobel for his first Bundesliga goal. The win consolidates the Eagles’ place in the top three, lifting them six points above fourth-placed Leipzig and two behind reigning champions Bayer 04 Leverkusen ahead of the weekend’s remaining Matchday 18 fixtures.