Ritsu Dōan's moment of magic seals victory for Eintracht Frankfurt against Mainz
A superb solo goal from Ritsu Dōan late in the second half earned Eintracht Frankfurt all three points over Mainz in a hotly contested encounter at Deutsche Bank Park.
Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 Mainz
Goals: 1-0 Dōan 81’
Having earned a creditable goalless draw at Napoli in the UEFA Champions League in midweek, Frankfurt were looking to stretch their unbeaten Bundesliga run to four matches against their local rivals, who triumphed 3-1 on their last visit in December last year.
Mainz, meanwhile, came into the match on the back of a 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen last time out. That result halted a run of four straight defeats in Germany's top flight for Bo Henriksen's men, but they still found themselves in the bottom two ahead of Sunday's Matchday 10 curtain-closer.
Tight first half produces few chances
The first half was a tightly contested affair, with neither side able to carve out clear-cut opportunities. Frankfurt enjoyed more possession but struggled to break down a disciplined Mainz defence, while the visitors posed a sporadic threat on the counter without testing goalkeeper Michael Zetterer.
The closest either side came to a breakthrough was when Benedict Hollerbach nearly connected with Paul Nebel's inswinging cross from the left, but the ball bounced harmlessly wide of the far post.
Jonathan Burkardt, who was facing his former club for the first time since his summer move from Mainz, almost intercepted Lennard Maloney's back-pass into Robin Zentner midway through the first half, but the goalkeeper managed to get enough on the ball to deny the Germany frontman.
Dōan breaks the deadlock
Frankfurt improved after Dino Toppmöller had brought on Hugo Larsson and Jean-Mattéo Bahoya for Ellyes Skhirr and Farès Chaïbi respectively at the interval. Bahoya and Dōan both had shots blocked, while Ansgar Knauff fired narrowly wide from a promising position.
It was Dōan, however, who eventually made the breakthrough with nine minutes remaining. The Japan international received the ball on the right edge of the area, skipped past two defenders and calmly slotted the ball beyond Zentner to clinch all three points for the home side.
Player of the match: Ritsu Dōan
Dōan's brilliant solo goal not only decided the match but capped what was a fine all-round performance from the 27-year-old.
He was a consistent threat to the Mainz defence, taking up intelligent positions inside the final third and linking play effectively. His pass efficiency rating of 2.75 was the highest of any Frankfurt player, demonstrating his quality in possession.
Dōan's moment of individual brilliance late in the second half - his first Bundesliga goal since Matchday 2 - showcased both his technical ability and composure under pressure. In the end, he was a deserving winner of the Player of the Match award, picking up 69 percent of the overall vote.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Frankfurt 0.91 - Mainz 0.14
Fastest player: Jean-Mattéo Bahoya (Frankfurt), 34.43 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-0 by Ritsu Dōan (Frankfurt), 5.37 percent
Most pressed player: Ritsu Dōan (Frankfurt), 20 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Ritsu Dōan (Frankfurt), +2.75
Fantasy Heroes: Rasmus Kristensen (Frankfurt, 360 Points), Ritsu Dōan (Frankfurt, 278 Points), Robin Koch (Frankfurt, 269 Points)
Related news
The Japanese stars of 2025/26
How are the likes of Ritsu Dōan, Hiroki Ito and Shūto Machino faring in the Bundesliga this season?
Why Frankfurt will beat Liverpool
As an unpredictable and entertaining side brimming with talent, Frankfurt have what it takes to beat a struggling Liverpool outfit in the Champions League.
Frankfurt dancing to Toppmöller's tune
The playing stars may come and go at Deutsche Bank Park, but in Dino Toppmöller, Eintracht recognise the ringmaster responsible for recent successes.