Düsseldorf cruise past Frankfurt
Düsseldorf - Fortuna Düsseldorf got the better of Eintracht Frankfurt in the opening fixture of Matchday 15 with a comprehensive 4-0 victory.
Rising action after quiet start
Düsseldorf were clearly the better of the two promoted sides before the interval, yet needed more than half an hour to take the lead. Karim Matmour's dismissal proved the catalyst for the hosts to break through,with goals from Stefan Reisinger and Oliver Fink giving them a two-goal advantage at the break. Nando Rafael and Axel Bellinghausen extended the lead in the second period in an increasingly one-sided tie.
After an uneventful opening, Sebastian Jung fired the hosts a first warning shot, but gradually Düsseldorf began to get a grip on the game and looked the more threatening side.
Fink twice had the opportunity to put the home side ahead as Fortuna increased the pressure, first missing the target before forcing a good reaction from Kevin Trapp from close range. Shortly after, Düsseldorf skipper Andreas Lambertz skilfully lobbed the visiting keeper from Leon Balogun's pass, only for the ball to just miss the far left post.
Reisinger breaks deadlock
Things ultimately seemed to go Fortuna's way just after the half-hour mark, when Matmour was sent off after collectiong two yellow cards in just eight minutes. Lambertz went close once more, but Reisinger did better moments later, crowning a good individual effort to score his third goal of the season. Things went from bad to worse for Eintracht only three minutes before half time, when Fink's beautiful left-footed curler from 20 yards left Trapp no chance and gave Düsseldorf a comfortable lead at the break.
The play opened up after the restart, with possession evenly balanced. Aigner could have got the guest team back into the game with a fantastic diving header following Bastian Oczipka's cross, but his effort flew wide. Fortuna continued to look dangerous going forward and were awarded again almost an hour into the match when Rafael made it three, volleying in from close range.
Four-tuna Düsseldorf
Visibly disheartened, Frankfurt could have conceded further goals only a little later as their defence appeared increasingly disorganised. However, the hosts were unusually lenient, with captain Lambertz's shot easily collected by Trapp before Ken Ilsö fired a free-kick wide.
Eintracht's nine-time goalscorer Alexander Meier had a low-key evening and had his attempt saved on one of the visitors' few forays forward after the break. However, Düsseldorf's pressure took its toll in the dying stages when Bellinghausen coolly slotted in after a defensive blunder from Oczipka.
Line-ups and statistics
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