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Taiwo Awoniyi celebrates the 1-0 win against Eintracht Frankfurt
Photo: Boris Streubel / Getty Images
The pictures of the sensational Europa League semi-finals of Frankfurt Eintracht at FC Barcelona went around the world of sports.
Everyday life in the Bundesliga has now been waiting for Eintracht – and this time there was no party.
Oliver Glasner's team lost 0:2 (0:2) at Union Berlin on matchday 30.
The second game late on Sunday afternoon between TSG Hoffenheim and Greuther Fürth ended goalless.
FC Bayern had previously won at Arminia Bielefeld on Easter Sunday.
After beating Frankfurt, Union Berlin still have good chances of qualifying for the European Cup, the team is currently sixth.
Union quickly got the game against Eintracht under control.
A header from Genki Haraguchi against the post caused the first threat for Jens Grahl's goal, who replaced the injured regular keeper Kevin Trapp between the Frankfurt posts (12th minute).
Union didn't let up - and it paid off.
After a long pass in the direction of the striker, Taiwo Awoniyi beat Martin Hinteregger in a running duel and finished to take the lead (17').
Four minutes later, the Berliners celebrated again, this time after a goal by Grischa Prömel, who placed the ball in the goal from almost 15 meters, which is a sight to behold.
The Battle for Europe:
Eintracht could then have fallen even further behind.
But the significant drop in performance after the Barcelona frenzy on Thursday did not come as a surprise.
Frankfurt can qualify for the Champions League with a win in the Europa League.
In the Bundesliga, the team hangs in midfield in tenth place, far away from the European Cup places and well ahead of the relegation zone.
Apparently the focus is now primarily on the Europa League, on April 28th the semi-final first leg at West Ham United from the Premier League is already waiting.
In the second half, Coach Glasner took some of his top players off the field early on and saved them for the tasks ahead.
The level of the game decreased, and Union largely stopped playing offensive football in the first half.
18th place in the table, only 17 points, far behind the non-relegation places: The situation at Greuther Fürth is hopeless, but the team has not yet been relegated after the 30th matchday.
Coach Stefan Leitl's team didn't give up in Hoffenheim either and fought for a point.
However, relegation could be certain in the next week.
It was a tough game, there were usually only chances from afar.
For Hoffenheim the point against the outsider is not enough, in the table TSG has to let the European Cup opponents Cologne and Union Berlin pass them by.
All results and game days, the table: The Bundesliga overview can be found here.
Jan