Eintracht Frankfurt beat Hamburger SV 3-1 in DFB-Pokal surge

Eintracht Frankfurt went through to the DFB-Pokal round of 16 with a 3-1 win away at Hamburger SV, and the story was shaped by two strong individual displays after half-time. Robin Koch scored the opener with a header in the 56th minute, then Jonathan Burkardt added a goal in the 71st minute and finished with a goal and assist.

Koch and Burkardt decide it after the break

Burkardt was the top-rated player in the tie with 8.92, while Koch posted an 8.25 after scoring from Burkardt's delivery. Mario Götze, whose 7.23 rating reflected his role in the build-up, also supplied the assist for Burkardt's goal. The attacking pattern was simple enough to spot, Frankfurt looked flat before the interval and then found their best football once the game opened up.

Younes Ebnoutalib added the third in the 75th minute after coming on as a substitute, and his 7.44 rating backed up the impact of the bench. Koch's goal was his first in the DFB-Pokal this season, which fits the way Frankfurt used their strongest performers to pull away after a slow start.

Hamburg's case and the 35th-minute incident

Hamburg were missing as many as seven professionals, including Fábio Vieira, Bilal Nadir and Yussuf Poulsen, and Merlin Polzin said: "With the boys who are here, we have maximum desire for the competition. They enjoy full trust." The home side also felt hard done by when the VAR did not intervene after Zakaria El Ouahdi was barged over in the box by Koch in the 35th minute.

The complaint is understandable, but it does not change the outcome. Frankfurt scored three times after the break and left Volksparkstadion with a place in the round of 16, while the teams meet again in the league in Frankfurt on Sunday at 17.30 on DAZN.