BERLIN (AP) — Florian Wirtz returned from injury to help Bayer Leverkusen defeat in-form Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 in the Bundesliga on Saturday, when the latter was aggrieved not to be awarded a penalty in stoppage time.
Hugo Ekitiké looked set to score by heading the ball into an unguarded net after a mix up between goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky and Jonathan Tah, but Tah rushed back to put the airborne Ekitiké off balance and miss the ball.
“I rate Felix (Brych) very highly as a referee, but I’m speechless today,” Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmöller said of Brych’s failure to award what would have been the third penalty of the game. “It’s a clear foul. The guys are dejected and angry in the locker room.”
Ekitiké went further.
“Foul. Red card. Penalty. I am alone. In front of the goal. It’s crazy,” the French forward told reporters in the mixed zone.
Frankfurt’s protests went unheeded and there was no VAR intervention. Victor Boniface’s 72nd-minute goal proved to be the winner for the defending champion.
Boniface had an early chance from the penalty spot but Kevin Trapp saved his poorly struck spot kick in the ninth minute.
Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush showed how it’s done seven minutes later, firing a penalty inside the left post after a clumsy challenge from Robert Andrich. It was Marmoush’s ninth goal in seven Bundesliga games, and it stretched his six-game scoring run.
But Andrich atoned by equalizing in the 25th after playing a one-two with Amine Adli and then Martin Terrier before a cool finish inside the far post.
Boniface finally scored when Trapp deflected substitute Wirtz’s cross kindly for a simple header.
Leverkusen said on Tuesday that Wirtz injured his ankle while on international duty with Germany.
Also, Xavi Simons starred for Leipzig to beat Mainz 2-0 away, Freiburg routed Augsburg 3-1 at home, Borussia Mönchengladbach defeated Heidenheim 3-2, and Hoffenheim defeated winless Bochum 3-1.
Bayern Munich was hosting Stuttgart later.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
