Eintracht Frankfurt recorded their first home win since March with Younes Ebnoutalib's late strike proved the difference against 1. FC Köln. The hosts had the better chances in a game that lacked quality as Köln are yet to earn a point away from home.
“Based on the second half, the victory is deserved,” Adi Hütter said after the game. “The team showed a reaction and a different side after the 0-6 thrashing. The 1-0 win is not only very important in this context, but also because it was our first home win in six months.
“I'm very happy for the fans. A huge compliment to the entire team – and special praise for Robin Koch. He showed what he's capable of. Keeping a clean sheet is very important. We were lucky it wasn't 0-1 after just one minute. Not everything went perfectly in the first half, that's normal. But I saw a team that ran together, supported each other, pushed each other, and fought. That's the most important thing.”
Hütter already showed his support for his captain Koch after he took him off at half-time following his poor performance in Leipzig. The Austrian coach has only made three changes from that lineup as Ebnoutalib and Fares Chaïbi played key roles in the final third. Noel Aseko contributed with a brilliant assist off the bench as Frankfurt climbed back to the top half of the standings.