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Gelsenkirchen (AP) - Eintracht Frankfurt is facing a knockout in the battle for the Champions League.
With the disappointing 3: 4 (1: 1) at Bundesliga bottom FC Schalke 04, the team of coach Adi Hütter missed the chance on Saturday to improve to fourth place in the table for at least one day.
If the previously one point better competitor from Dortmund wins on Sunday at FSV Mainz, Eintracht is definitely out of the premier class race.
Unlike in the past few weeks, the relegated player from Gelsenkirchen did respectably in his last home game for the time being in the upper house of football and came thanks to the goals from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (15th), Blendi Idrizi (53rd), Florian Flick (60th) and Matthew Hoppe (64th) for a surprising third win of the season.
André Silva (29./72.) And Evan Ndicka (51.) scored the goals for Eintracht.
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As on the previous matchday in Hoffenheim, the heavily decimated Schalke team, who were again missing 13 professionals due to injury or corona, took the lead.
After Frankfurt's Lucas Tuta fouled Amine Harit, referee Sven Jablonski decided on a penalty.
Huntelaar failed to Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp, but used the margin to lead.
Only a short time later, the Dutchman (24th) even had the chance to make it 2-0 when Trapp clarified in dire need.
However, this even higher leadership would not have been deserved.
Because from the beginning the guests dominated the game and had the first big chance with a low shot by Timothy Chandler (9th).
At least until then, you could rely on Schalke's goalkeeper Ralf Fährmann, who was also on the post in the 21st minute against Frankfurt's striker Silva.
But the goalkeeper, who had been strong up until then, made a momentous mistake when he underestimated a cross from Amin Younes and let it pass.
Silva used that from an acute angle with her head ice cold to his 26th goal of the season.
With this number of hits, the Portuguese set the Frankfurt club record of Bernd Hölzenbein from the 1976/77 season.
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This equalization gave the playfully superior Eintracht further impetus.
Only the good reaction from Fährmann with a header from Ndicka (36th) prevented the 2-1 for the guests.
Shortly before the break, a header from Silva just missed the Schalke goal.
Even after the restart, the Frankfurt team were initially the more active team - and were rewarded early on.
After a corner from Daichi Kamada, Ndicka was on the spot.
His header was deflected into his own goal by Schalke's Salif Sané.
However, the joy in the previous fifth in the table did not last long.
The previously dominant team fell behind within a few minutes.
A counterattack initiated by Huntelaar was used by Schalke midfielder Idrizi to score his first Bundesliga goal.
Seven minutes later, the Revierclub turned the game upside down when Flick hit the far corner with a low shot.
After the 4: 2 by substitute Hoppe, the game seemed decided in favor of the outsider.
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With the second goal by Silva to 3: 4, Eintracht awoke to new life.
But the chances in the hectic final phase remained unused.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210515-99-610528 / 2
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