Eintracht Frankurt had some help late in the match to clinch a 2-1 victory over rivals Mainz 05 in the Rhine-Main derby. Stefan Bell redirected the ball into his own net in the 84th minute to gift Frankfurt three points. The visitors though, started the day on the front foot when Daniel Brosinski opened the scoring 18 minutes into the contest. That lead lasted all but ten minutes when Marco Russ leveled the match off of a set piece.  

Both sides find back of the net within opening 30 minutes

In typical derby fashion, the match started cage with the referee having to go to his whistle often. The first chance of the night did not occur until the 15th minute mark. Suat Serdar attempted an audacious shot from outside the box that missed the target.

Moments later, on the other side of the pitch, Marco Russ fouled Yunus Malli near the half-circle. Russ, as a result of his challenge, went into the referee's handbook. Then, Daniel Brosinski stood over the ball for the ensuing free kick. Brosinski hit the ball with great precision as it curled away from Lukas Hradecky.

Mainz' lead, though, lasted just ten minutes. Eintracht Frankfurt had a free kick of their own, but it was indirect. Thus, Szcaboics Huszti sent a cross towards the near post. Russ battled with Julian Baumgartlinger in the air with the latter nodding the ball away. The clearance though, fell to Änis Ben-Hatira. As Ben-Hatira tried to shoot, he slipped, forcing him to play a pass back through the box. Waiting at the end of the square ball was Russ who got up quickly to stab a shot into the net. 

The chances then came few and far between, with the next attempt occurring in the 37th minute. This one, came off a corner swung in by Huszti. Russ, Frankfut's captain, was in the area again, posing as a big threat during set plays. The goalscorer met the ball with his head but hit it straight into Loris Karius' arms.

Miljat Gacinovic lost possession deep in his attacking third of the pitch. Luckily, Sonny Kittel was near, turned to get free from a defender before whipping a cross to box. There, Ben-Hatira waited before firing his right-footed shot wide of the near post. 

The physical play brought many set piece opportunities which both sides had converted earlier. Hustzi, who had been fantastic in dead ball situations hit another delivery to the top of the six yard box. Haris Seferovic made a nice curving run to get into open space before rising up above the Mainz defense. His header though, got punched over the bar by Karius.

Own goal sinks Mainz

Finally, in the 84th minute, disaster struck for the visitors. Ben-Hatira was one of the main outlets of attack for Frankfurt in the second half. His cross, from just inside the penalty box on the left, took a massive deflection off of Bell. The Mainz goalkeeper started coming off his line but it was too late. Bell's deflection went the other way and looped over Karius for the match winning goal.

Coming up

While three points for the home side were nice, Frankfurt still have a bit of work to do. Their next match comes on the road in six days as they face off against Darmstadt. For Mainz, they will have to be able to put that defeat behind them as they welcome in Hamburg to the Coface Arena.

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