- Galatasaray faces a showdown in a penalty shootout with Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt returned to the Champions League after an absence of 940 days and made a strong start, securing a convincing 5-1 victory against Galatasaray Istanbul.
The first half was a tight affair, with Frankfurt struggling to create chances and remaining vulnerable in defense for a significant portion. However, they managed to take the lead in the 2nd minute, as Michael Zetterer, the Frankfurt goalkeeper, brilliantly saved a well-placed shot from Ansgar Knauff, only for the ball to deflect off Davinson Sanchez and into the net.
Galatasaray responded quickly, with Yunus Akgun scoring from an opening pass by Leroy Sane in the 8th minute. The Turkish side continued to press, but Frankfurt held firm, and the score remained 1-1 at the break.
In the second half, Frankfurt stepped up their game and began to create more opportunities. In the 45th minute (4th additional time), Can Uzun capitalised on a low cross from Burkardt to score the second goal. Just before the hour mark, Burkardt scored his first goal in an Eintracht Frankfurt shirt from a free-kick by Fares Chaibi, which stood after VAR review.
Galatasaray struggled to mount a comeback, and Frankfurt continued to dominate the game. In the 75th minute, Ansgar Knauff scored the third goal for Frankfurt, and he delivered the final blow with the fifth goal, securing the victory 15 minutes from time. Uzun added the fourth goal in the 45th minute (2nd additional time) to complete the rout.
The match was not without its close calls for Frankfurt, as Eren Elmali deflected a header from Robin Koch, which was saved off the line by Cakir. Baris Yilmaz also fired a ball skyward after a free-kick from Ilkay Gundogan, but Frankfurt's solid defence held firm.
The win marks Frankfurt's first three points in the group stage, and they will be looking to build on this impressive performance in their upcoming matches. The team will be without Kevin Trapp, who left for Paris Saint-Germain, but they showed they have the depth and quality to compete at the highest level.
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