Lead again, but at least not lost this time.

As in the previous week in the 2-3 win against Borussia Dortmund, when Eintracht believed they were already on the road to success with a 2-0 lead, they were ahead in Augsburg on Sunday.

In the end, coach Oliver Glasner's team had to settle for a 1-1 draw.

It was a fair result in a game between two Bundesliga teams who met at eye level in the deserted FCA arena.

Ralph Weitbrecht

sports editor.

  • Follow I follow

Important from Eintracht's point of view, which Daichi Kamada had put in the lead in the 22nd minute before Michael Gregoritsch scored the final score (38th): Diant Ramaj, who made a few mistakes in his excitement and inexperience, made a decent first division debut. For the 20-year-old goalkeeper it was the first time among the professionals. He was only in demand on this 19th matchday because regular keeper Kevin Trapp had to pass due to Corona.

Glasner had to make at least two changes in personnel; there were four in his starting lineup.

Almamy Touré and Ramaj moved into the Frankfurt team for the two Filip Kostic and Trapp who were unable to work with a “borderline positive corona result with mild symptoms”.

For Touré it was nothing special to be on the ball again, for Ramaj it was a very special moment: The 20-year-old from Stuttgart scored in a adult game for the first time in his young career – and he did so straight away in the Bundesliga.

Frankfurt ice cold during the tour

A big burden for the temporary Trapp deputy. It took a while in Augsburg before Ramaj, who switched from 1. FC Heidenheim to Eintracht in May and has a contract until mid-2024, was able to show why he has rightly completed a number of assignments in the junior national team. In the second minute he had his first contact with the ball when Evan Ndicka passed him, in the eleventh and 13th minute, when Ricardo Pepi and Niklas Dorsch tried two shots, the diving Ramaj did not need to intervene. Both attempts missed his goal.

Frankfurt did better in the 22nd minute than Augsburg, who were fighting against relegation.

Cold as ice, they took advantage of a major misplay by Dorsch, which the attentive Jesper Lindström caught the quickest and secured the ball.

The Dane staged fellow striker Rafael Borré, the Colombian unselfishly passed it on to Kamada - and the Japanese was so free to give Eintracht a 1-0 lead.

In the 33rd minute there was a lot of excitement in the Frankfurt penalty area.

FCA wanted to have a penalty awarded first, but then preferred to insist on the advantage, because the ball was now in the goal where Pepi had pushed it in.

The action, which caused a lot of emotions on the Augsburg side, was evaluated quite differently.

Referee Sven Jablonski enlisted the help of his video colleague in the Kölner Keller – and decided: neither penalty nor goal, but free kick for Eintracht: Andi Zeqiri, who had fallen, did not hit the ball but the defensive strategist Makoto Hasebe, who was called up for Martin Hinteregger. The anger on the part of FCA was great, but the frustration only lasted a few minutes, then a regular goal was actually scored. It was scored by Gregoritsch, who took advantage of Ramaj's inexperience and shot cleverly into the short corner to make it 1-1 (38').

Driven by Djibril Sow, the fourth newcomer in the Frankfurt starting eleven, and supported by captain Sebastian Rode, Eintracht pushed their offensive efforts after the change of sides. Alone: ​​It initially lacked the penetrating power. Touré narrowly missed from close range (60th). Kamada, brilliantly unlocked by Timothy Chandler, failed to make more of his excellent shooting position (62'). In addition, it was important to sharpen the senses and pay attention to the occasional Augsburg counterattack.

Eintracht coach Glasner had warned his team: "They play fast forward and have the second highest vertical playing speed in the league.

We have to be on our guard there.

Augsburg have a lot of great strikers who can always extend balls, and wingers who pace the spaces.” Lindström was also on the move with speed when he had a great chance in the 88th minute after Kamada’s good work from Kamada to complete unity victoriously.

But the Dane failed at Augsburg goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz.