Photo: Alex Grimm/Getty Images.
One of the most anticipated clashes of the week in the Bundesrepublik came to a crescendo this evening although the atmosphere came close to silence when Omar Marmoush dragged a right-footed strike inches wide of Nübel’s goal. Stuttgart almost came close to an opener too as Kevin Trapp parried a shot from Chris Führich. The German midfielder delivered the perfect cross in the subsequent move as Demirović’s header hit the bar.
The Swabians earned themselves a penalty midway through the half as Larsson fouled Stiller. Ermedin Demirović stepped forth only to be foiled by Trapp who sprawled down to his bottom right corner. Further frustration followed on the half-hour as Julian Chabot headed home Rieder’s set-piece. Celebrations were extinguished as the offside flag was raised aloft. For all their dominance, Stuttgart would trail at the interval. Omar Marmoush whipped the perfect corner onto Hugo Ekitiké’s head to thump past Nübel.
Bidding to claw themselves back to parity, Stuttgart took the game to Dino Toppmöller’s side after the break. However, in accordance with the first-half script, Frankfurt bagged a second goal created by substitute Ansgar Knauff. The winger collected a pass off Marmoush, skipped past two Stuttgart defenders, and crossed for Nathaniel Brown to score in consecutive games. Five minutes later, Marmoush curled a superb freekick into the top right corner to put travelling fans in dreamland.
It appeared it wasn’t to be for Stuttgart on an evidently luckless night. Kevin Trapp may have been rooted to the spot, but Demirović would be denied by the aluminium for a second time. Amasingly, Frankfurt’s defensive resilience eventually folded as Joshua Vagnoman planted his shot inside the left post with the aid of an Arthur Theate defelection. With the next significant attack, substitute Nick Woltemade rolled Tuta to cut the deficit to one. His strike from close range gave the lively home fans some hope whilst netting his first goal for the club.
A spirited showing from Hoeneß’ men almost found a dramatic equaliser in the 97th-minute. Chris Führich flicked the ball past Trapp, however a dramatic VAR review notified Felix Zweyer of Woltemade’s offside role in the build-up as Frankfurt survived. A member of Toppmöller’s backroom team even saw red before the final whistle, but nothing could strip Die Adler of their worthy three points.
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