BERLIN (AP) — In-form Eintracht Frankfurt bolstered its bid for a place in the Champions League next season by moving third in the Bundesliga with a 2-0 win over Cologne on Sunday.
Fourth-place Wolfsburg was held 0-0 at home by Borussia Mönchengladbach in the late game.
Goals from André Silva and Evan Ndicka in the second half gave Frankfurt its seventh win from eight games in 2021 and stretched the side’s unbeaten run in the league to 10 games. Frankfurt hasn’t lost in the league since a 2-1 defeat at Wolfsburg on Dec. 11 and its only blip this year was a 2-2 draw at Freiburg on Jan. 20.
Adi Hütter’s team missed a number of chances to score in the first half and Silva had a goal ruled out through VAR — the ball had gone out of play in the buildup — early in the second, before the Portuguese finally broke the deadlock in the 57th.
Erik Durm tried his luck from distance but the shot was deflected into Silva’s path by teammate Daichi Kamada and the forward wasted no time before dinking it over outrushing goalkeeper Timo Horn. It was Silva’s 18th goal of the season.
Filip Kostic sent in a corner for defender Ndicka to head Frankfurt’s second in the 79th.
WOLFSBURG FRUSTRATED
Wolfsburg had to be content with just a point despite creating more chances in a hard-fought game with Gladbach.
Xaver Schlager came closest to a late winner when his strike brushed the side netting in injury time.
Wolfsburg extended its run of games without conceding to six across all competitions, but saw the end of its five-game winning run.
Frankfurt is ahead of Wolfsburg on goal difference. The top four qualify for the Champions League.
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Ciarán Fahey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfaheyAP
