Ajax 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt: Frankfurt come from behind to defeat hosts and take narrow lead in Round of 16 tie

In their first-ever meeting, Eintracht Frankfurt overcame an early deficit to secure a 2-1 victory against Ajax in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League Round of 16 matchup, marking only the second time the Dutch team has lost at home to a German club.

Ajax entered the contest aware of their recent struggles, having not won any of their last six home matches in the knockout phases of a major European tournament (D3, L3). However, Francesco Farioli’s squad started the match with great intensity in Amsterdam.

Brian Brobbey, who had scored in his previous three home games, aimed to continue his scoring streak and nearly did so within the first two minutes, striking a powerful shot from distance that struck the post.

In the 10th minute, Jordan Henderson delivered a well-placed cross to the far post, where Brobbey executed a commanding header to give Ajax the lead.

Frankfurt responded effectively after conceding and nearly equalized shortly thereafter when Hugo Ekitike combined with Ansgar Knauff, who surged towards goal but was thwarted by Remko Pasveer.

The visitors maintained their momentum in pursuit of a goal, which they achieved just before the half-hour mark. A cleverly executed short free-kick saw Mario Gotze find Hugo Larsson, who took a touch before unleashing a precise shot from distance into the net.

Both teams had opportunities to score again before the interval, with Kenneth Taylor being denied, while Larsson attempted another long-range effort that was saved.

After the break, Ajax started strongly once more, with Brobbey coming close to regaining the lead after breaking through on goal, but Kevin Trapp made a crucial save.

Frankfurt took some time to find their rhythm in the second half, but once they did, they turned the match in their favor. In the 70th minute, Knauff penetrated the Ajax box and set up Ellyes Skhiri, who finished with precision.

Despite Farioli making four substitutions in the second half, his team struggled to mount a comeback against the resilient German side.

Die Adler navigated the final fifteen minutes with ease, securing a narrow advantage in the first leg before the upcoming confrontation in Frankfurt next week.

SportsLigue