Eintracht Frankfurt Continues Struggles with Defeat Against Hoffenheim

Eintracht Frankfurt’s troubling start to 2026 continues with yet another defeat in the Bundesliga. Merely four days after a humiliating exit from European competition, the RheinMainAdler have conceded three goals for the fifth consecutive match. The recurring “patterns of defensive errors” plaguing the team are unlikely to subside following this recent setback.

Get German Football News is pleased to provide a comprehensive recap and player ratings.

As he did in the previous match against Bremen, Nottingham Forest loanee Arnaud Kalimuendo opened the scoring. It took the 24-year-old a bit longer to net his second Bundesliga goal, as he had been close on multiple occasions (4th, 5th, and 7th minutes) before finally scoring in the 18th minute. Kalimuendo capitalized on a well-placed lofted ball from Can Uzun, executing an excellent first touch before firing past TSG keeper Oliver Baumann from approximately 13 meters out on the left.

The Hessian hosts were undeniably the dominant side during the first 15 minutes and beyond, largely due to the versatile tactical system implemented by interim coach Dennis Schmitt. Eintracht’s frequent switches between a back-three and back-four made it difficult for Hoffenheim to find their rhythm. TSG defenders Ozan Kabak and Vladimir Coufal made crucial defensive interventions in the early stages. Frankfurt could have easily extended their lead were it not for some stellar defensive work from the visitors.

To their credit, Christian Ilzer’s Sinsheimers fought back into the match. As the first half progressed, the spotlight shifted onto Eintracht’s defenders, who had to shut down scoring opportunities. Robin Koch (28th), Rasmus Kristensen (32nd), and goalkeeper Kaua Santos (39th) successfully prevented Hoffenheim from equalizing. However, TSG’s attacking midfielder Wouter Burger squandered a near-perfect opportunity to level the score just before halftime, heading a quality Fisnik Asllani cross directly at the SGE keeper from close range.

Overall, Eintracht responded well to their coach’s demands, defending compactly and with passion. The hosts continued to pose a threat on the counterattack throughout the first half, with Kalimuendo and Ritsu Doan coming close to shooting opportunities. Frustration boiled over for Hoffenheim just before the half concluded, resulting in bookings for active TSG fullback Vladimir Coufal and his defensive partner Albian Hajdari.

The second half began with a promising outlook for the hosts; however, their fortunes soured shortly after the restart. A strong combination play down Hoffenheim’s left side in the 52nd minute culminated in Burger delivering an inch-perfect cross to 20-year-old Max Moerstedt, who equalized with a powerful header from about five meters out.

Just eight minutes later, Hoffenheim claimed the lead. A weak corner clearance by young Eintracht keeper Kaua Santos in the 60th minute allowed Burger to regain possession. Ozan Kabak snuck into the area unmarked to convert Burger’s simple cross for a 2-1 lead, with Burger registering his second assist of the match.

The situation deteriorated for Eintracht just five minutes later when Auréle Amenda, who has been shaky defensively, inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the 65th minute. Following impressive play from Coufal and Andrej Kramaric, Amenda deflected Coufal’s cross, resulting in a 3-1 deficit.

Following this, neither team exhibited much interest in continuing the contest.

**Player Ratings**

Oliver Baumann (5) – Bernardo (6), Albian Hajdari (7), Ozan Kabak (8), Vladimir Coufal (7) – Leon Avdullahu (5) – Wouter Burger (8), Andrej Kramaric (6) – Alexander Prass (6), Max Moerstedt (8) – Fisnik Asllani (6)
Substitutes: Grischa Prömel (-), Ihlas Behbou (-)
Kaua Santos (3) – Auréle Amenda (3), Robin Koch (5), Nnamdi Collins (5) – Nathaniel Brown (5), Fares Chaïbi (4), Ellyes Skhiri (4), Rasmus Kristensen (3) – Can Uzun (6), Ritsu Doan (6) – Arnaud Kalimuendo (6)
Substitutes: Hugo Larsson (-), Ansgar Knauff (-), Jean-Manuel Bahoya (-), Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab (-)

The high ratings for Hoffenheim players present an intriguing choice, with Wouter Burger (8) and Ozan Kabak (8) matching the eventual selection. Burger’s two assists will likely earn him Man of the Match honors in numerous publications. However, the author opts for young German striker Moerstedt this time, as he was consistently impressive throughout the match. With nearly every one of the right-slant attacker’s 71 touches capturing attention, he made a sizable impact on the game.

In addition to scoring the critical equalizer, Moerstedt assisted on three other shots and achieved an impressive total of 50 passes while playing his role in Ilzer’s 4-1-4-1 formation. Moerstedt is a promising player to watch in the Bundesliga, especially given his breakout potential.

Though playing time has been limited, he took advantage of Bazoumana Touré’s AFCON absence to increase his minutes off the bench. In this match, he capitalized on Tim Lemperle’s last-minute illness that prevented him from starting.

Moerstedt made a substantial impact in his first Bundesliga start of the season. Keep an eye on him!