Having suffered four defeats in their last six league outings, Frankfurt’s seemingly comfortable buffer in the race for a UEFA Champions League spot had been significantly reduced. The visit of struggling Heidenheim, though, presented an ideal opportunity for them to get back on track, and the Eagles were well on top in the first half.
With only two minutes on the clock, Jean-Matteo Bahoya’s teasing ball across the face of goal was waiting to be tapped home, but it just evaded Fares Chaibi and Rasmus Kristensen.
However, the home side were ahead just eight minutes later when Hugo Ekitike’s well-timed pass slipped Chaïbi in, and he pulled it back for Bahoya to convert from close range.
Ekitike was heavily involved in the opening stanza, and his effort from inside the area needed a good save from Kevin Muller to keep the score at 1-0.
Then, with only three minutes of the first half remaining, the hosts dealt a big blow to Heidenheim’s hopes when a ball into the area was controlled by Ekitike into the path of Robin Koch, who powered his shot past Muller to double his side's advantage.
Heidenheim had the wind knocked out of their sails by the goal just before the break, although they had a chance to halve the deficit 12 minutes after the restart when Sirlord Conteh broke free and cut the ball back to Marvin Pieringer, who somehow sent his effort from inside the area wide of the left post with the goal at his mercy.
Given their lowly league position, this was an opportunity the away side needed to take, and they were duly punished not long after.
Having seen an earlier shot from inside the area saved, Ekitike finished off a lovely move after a clever pass from Chaibi freed Nathaniel Brown inside the area, and the substitute squared the ball for the forward to bury from close range.
This convincing victory restores the Eagles’ three-point lead over fourth-place RB Leipzig, while Heidenheim still occupy the relegation playoff place and sit seven points adrift of safety.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Hugo Ekitike (Eintracht Frankfurt)