Racist attack victims remembered as Frankfurt beats Bayern Munich in Bundesliga
BERLIN: After scoring the winning goal to help Eintracht Frankfurt beat Bundesliga leader Bayern Munich 2-1 on Saturday, Amin Younes’ first thought was for the victims of a racist attack.
The 27-year-old Younes ran straight to the sideline, where he held up a commemorative shirt bearing the name and portrait of Fatih Saraçoğlu, one of nine people with immigrant backgrounds killed in a rampage by a gunman in the nearby town of Hanau just over a year ago.
Frankfurt’s players had warmed up for the league game wearing the commemorative tops with “say their names” across the front, and individual victims’ names and faces on the back. Ferhat Unvar, Hamza Kurtović, Said Nesar Hashemi, Vili Viorel Păun, Mercedes Kierpacz, Kaloyan Velkov, Sedat Gürbüz, Gökhan Gültekin and Saraçoğlu were all remembered, continuing Friday's commemorations on the anniversary of the killings.
Younes, who troubled Bayern’s defense in the first half, was involved in one goal, then scored the other as he helped Frankfurt reinvigorate the title race.
Leipzig can cut Bayern’s lead to two points with a win at Hertha Berlin on Sunday, and Frankfurt is just seven points off the pace – level on points with third-place Wolfsburg – after maintaining its outstanding start to the year with its eighth win from nine games in 2021.
Frankfurt made a brilliant start with Younes and Filip Kostic combining to set up Daichi Kamada for the opening goal in the 12th minute.
Frankfurt had seven shots compared to Bayern’s one before Younes made it 2-0 in the 31st. Kamada played the ball back and Younes unleashed a powerful shot inside the far top corner.
Robert Lewandowski pulled one back in the 53rd for Bayern to take his season tally to a league-leading 26 goals, but missed out on scoring a late equalizer when Lucas Hernández’ cross sailed just over his head at the far post in injury time.
Frankfurt was without top-scorer André Silva (18 goals) due to an injury picked up in training, giving Luka Jovic his first start since he returned on loan from Real Madrid. Frankfurt also had to do without the injured defender Erik Durm and suspended midfielder Djibril Sow.
Bayern also had enforced absences in Thomas Müller and Benjamin Pavard due to the coronavirus, while Corentin Tolisso is out for around three months after tearing a tendon in his left thigh. Leon Goretzka and Javi Martínez were back among Bayern’s substitutes after recovering from their COVID-19 infections. Goretzka came on to help Bayern’s improved performance in the second half.