'Definitely the turning point' - Frankfurt goalkeeper Noah Atubolu extends penalty-saving record
Can Uzun and Jonathan Burkardt were both on target in Eintracht Frankfurt’s 3-1 victory at Mainz, but goalkeeper Noah Atubolu also had a major say in the outcome of Saturday’s Rhine-Main derby.
Leading 1-0 thanks to Uzun’s early effort, Frankfurt handed their opponents a golden opportunity to get back on level terms late in the first half when Raphael Onyedika brought down Sheraldo Becker in the penalty area - but Freiburg loanee Atubolu dived the right way to keep out Nadiem Amiri’s spot-kick and preserve Eintracht’s advantage.
Nearly a year on from becoming the first goalkeeper in Bundesliga history to save five penalties in a row, Atubolu has now extended that record-breaking tally to six consecutive spot-kicks - all in front of watching Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp.
Only three players - Werder Bremen’s Marvin Ducksch, RB Leipzig’s Loïs Openda and Julian Weigl of Borussia Mönchengladbach - have managed to convert a Bundesliga penalty past the Frankfurt custodian, whose save ratio of 66.7 percent is the best of any goalkeeper to face three or more penalties in the division.
Reflecting on his latest stop, a modest Atubolu told DAZN: “I was confident in myself and trusted my abilities. Everything turned out fine in the end.”
Mainz talisman Amiri converted all 10 of his penalties for the Zerofivers in all competitions last season, with the midfielder’s last miss coming in a 1-0 victory over Augsburg in February 2024.
“Noah tried to unsettle me, but most goalkeepers do that,” Amiri said. “Normally I score, but today I didn’t. It’s part and parcel of football.”
Atubolu’s save came at a crucial moment for Adi Hütter’s side, who had made a bright start to the Matchday 3 contest but were having to withstand heavy pressure as Mainz sought a route back into the match.
However, instead of finding themselves on level terms at the interval, the Eagles went into half-time with a two-goal cushion thanks to Jonathan Burkardt’s crisp finish.
“The turning point was definitely Atubolu’s penalty save and Burkardt’s goal just before half-time,” said Hütter, whose side made it 3-0 on the hour mark thanks to Uzun’s first-time finish from Mario Götze’s cross. “It’s a very important win for us and our fans.”
Having watched their side draw 3-3 with Union Berlin and lose 4-1 at home to Augsburg in their opening two league games, Frankfurt fans will hope Saturday’s victory is a sign of better things to come as Hütter - who enjoyed a three-year spell in charge of Eintracht between 2018 and 2021 - tries to plot a path back into Europe.
Atubolu, a UEFA Europa League finalist with Freiburg last term, will certainly have a key role to play. Wherever your allegiances lie, it is hard not to feel a smidgen of sympathy for the next person tasked with beating the 24-year-old from the penalty spot.
