Younes Ebnoutalib scored the only goal 13 minutes from time as Eintracht Frankfurt beat 1. FC Köln 1-0 at Deutsche Bank Park on Friday night. It was Frankfurt's first home win of the Bundesliga season and came six days after a 6-0 defeat at RB Leipzig. Substitute Noel Aséko set up the winner with a clever pass, and Noah Atubolu marked his 100th Bundesliga appearance with a clean sheet.
Match facts
- Result: Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 1. FC Köln (half-time 0-0)
- Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 6
- Venue: Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt
- Scorers: Eintracht Frankfurt - Ebnoutalib 77'; 1. FC Köln - none
- Red cards: None
- Attendance: 59,600
- Next: Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt, Saturday 24 October; 1. FC Köln v Schalke 04, Saturday 24 October
How the match unfolded
Adi Hütter made three changes after the heavy defeat in Leipzig, bringing in Fares Chaïbi, Mario Götze and top scorer Ebnoutalib. Köln coach René Wagner brought in Tom Krauß for the injured Ellyes Skhiri and gave Joël Schmied his first start of the season.
Köln had the first big chance within seconds of kick-off, when Marius Bülter ran clean through and Atubolu saved. Bülter was denied again just after the half-hour, as Atubolu stopped his effort from a free-kick at the near post. Chaïbi and Ebnoutalib tested Marvin Schwäbe at the other end. Just before half-time, Saïd El Mala ran almost the length of the pitch but shot well wide, and it stayed goalless at the break.
Frankfurt came out stronger after the restart. Ebnoutalib had a chance three minutes into the second half, and Schwäbe saved headers from Lilian Brassier in the 54th minute and Chaïbi in the 58th as crosses kept arriving in the Köln box.
The breakthrough came in the 77th minute, after Frankfurt won the ball high up the right. Ebnoutalib laid it off to Aséko, who controlled it with the sole of his boot and threaded it back through Luka Lochoshvili's legs into his path. The striker then beat Schwäbe at the near post from a tight angle.
Köln pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages, with late substitute Reigan Heskey among those trying, but rarely threatened Atubolu, and Frankfurt held on.
What it means for both clubs
The win takes Frankfurt to eight points from six games and up to eighth, at least until the rest of Matchday 6 is played. Before kick-off they had taken only one point from two home games. They had also conceded in 19 Bundesliga matches in a row, a run that started after their last clean sheet against Wolfsburg on 30 January 2026. Ebnoutalib was voted man of the match by fans on Bundesliga.com.
Köln stay on seven points and drop to 11th. They have now gone 16 Bundesliga away games without a win; the last was a 1-0 victory at Hoffenheim in October 2025. Their only league wins this season have come at home, the latest a 2-1 derby win over Borussia Mönchengladbach.
What comes next
Frankfurt face a tough trip to Borussia Dortmund next Saturday. Dortmund were beaten 1-0 at Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League in midweek and play Union Berlin this weekend. Köln host Schalke the same afternoon. Saturday's headline game is Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig.
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