Frankfurt breathing easy again after Mainz triumph

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Frankfurt - Eintracht Frankfurt have now as good as secured their Bundesliga status thanks to a deserved 2-0 victory over 1. FSV Mainz 05 at the Commerzbank Arena.

Joselu strikes

The Eagles went into the game just six points above the relegation play-off place, but Armin Veh’s team showed little sign of resting on their laurels in the opening stages and almost took the lead when Stefan Aigner got on the end of Constant Djakpa’s cross, but his header came off the foot off the post and bounced clear. Loris Karius then had to be at full stretch to save Joselu’s header from another Djakpa delivery, before Maxim Choupo-Moting headed wide at the other end five minutes before the interval.

Despite having the better of the first-half opportunities, Veh’s team nearly fell behind within minutes of the restart when Zdenek Pospech’s cross found Choupo-Moting at the far post. The Cameroon international’s header wrong-footed Kevin Trapp in the Frankfurt goal, but Alexander Madlung was on hand to clear the ball off the line.

Mainz were left to rue that missed chance as Joselu gave the hosts the lead on 52 minutes. Tranquillo Barnetta’s free-kick cannoned off the crossbar, but Mainz failed to clear their lines and the Spaniard was on hand to head home from inside the penalty area. Aigner had a goal disallowed with a quarter of an hour remaining, but Alexander Meier struck on 85 minutes to seal the points for the Eagles, who stay in 11th place in the Bundesliga table.

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