BERLIN (AP) — Filip Kostic steered Eintracht Frankfurt back to fourth in the Bundesliga with a 3-1 win at Hoffenheim on Sunday, as the day’s late game was called off due to a heavy snowstorm sweeping across Germany.
Arminia Bielefeld and Werder Bremen’s match was called off hours before kickoff.
Kostic scored one goal and set up the other two as Frankfurt stretched its unbeaten run to nine games and stayed one point ahead of Bayer Leverkusen in the last qualification place for the Champions League.
The Serbian midfielder broke the deadlock in the 15th minute, finishing off brilliantly from a difficult angle after being played down the left by Amin Younes.
Martin Hinteregger headed over shortly afterward as the visitors kept up the pressure. Hoffenheim could offer little in response.
Coach Sebastian Hoeneß reacted with two changes at the break, bringing on midfielder Pavel Kaderabek and striker Ihlas Bebou.
The latter needed only a minute to equalize. Andrej Kramaric sent Bebou through and he eluded Makoto Hasebe then Hinteregger before shooting inside the right corner.
Ishak Belfodil almost put Hoffenheim ahead when his shot fizzed past the post shortly afterward.
But Kostic wasn’t finished. The 28-year-old sent in a free kick for Evan Ndicka to head in the visitors’ second goal in the 62nd, two minutes before he crossed for André Silva, who made it 3-1.
Frankfurt remains the best team in the league this year. Adi Hütter’s team has collected 19 from a possible 21 points, the only blip a 2-2 draw at Freiburg on Jan. 20.
SNOWED OFF
Officials felt they had no option but to call off the late game in Bielefeld.
“Due to the heavy and prolonged snowfall combined with frost, it’s not guaranteed that the game can be carried out properly,” the German soccer league said in statement. “A new date for the game will be announced shortly.”
Bielefeld is in the north east of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which was among those worst hit by the storm. Police said early Sunday they had counted 222 accidents due to the bad weather conditions in the state.
Arminia club employees had tried clearing the pitch of snow, and the Bremen team had already traveled the day before to Bielefeld, but there was no let-up in the wintry conditions.
The second division game between Paderborn and Heidenheim was also called off. Paderborn is just over 40 kilometers (25 miles) southeast of Bielefeld.
Hoffenheim’s game against Frankfurt was unaffected by the weather. Sinsheim is more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) south of Paderborn.
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