Mesut Özil scored the first goal of the game Frankfurt against Fenerbahce in the tenth minute
Quelle: Getty Images/Alex Grimm
Mesut Özil appeared in Germany for the first time in three years. The ex-international scored for his new club Fenerbahce Istanbul in the Europa League at Eintracht Frankfurt. Union Berlin started the group stage of the Conference League with a defeat.
Eintracht Frankfurt also missed its first competitive win this season at the start of the Europa League. The Hessians came against Fenerbahce Istanbul with ex-world champion Mesut Özil after a weak start despite an increase in performance on Thursday not more than 1: 1 (1: 1). Özil had given the guests an early lead (10th minute). Striker Sam Lammers managed to equalize (41st) for Hessen.
In front of 25,000 spectators, Eintracht was lucky in stoppage time when a goal by German U21 European champion Mergim Berisha was not recognized because he ran into the penalty area too early in Kevin Trapp’s penalty penalty parade against Dimitris Pelkas (90th + 2nd score) ). After the draw, the Bundesliga team is already under pressure before the games against Royal Antwerp and Olympiacos Piraeus.
For Özil it was the first game in Germany in three years. The last time he ran in this country in March 2018 in a 0-1 in a friendly game of the national team against Brazil. He played his last game for the national team in June 2018 in the World Cup in Russia in a 2-0 draw against South Korea. In January, Özil moved to Fenerbahce Istanbul on the Bosporus after more than seven years at Arsenal.
Leverkusen with victory after deficit
Bayer Leverkusen also had to compete in the Europa League that evening. The Bundesliga team won 2: 1 (1: 1) at home against the Hungarian record champions Ferencvaros Budapest on Thursday. Against the team of the former Bundesliga coach Peter Stöger, the hosts started weakly and fell behind early due to a goal from Ryan Mmaee (8th minute).
The Bundesliga sixth took some time to find his way back into the game. Exequiel Palacios (37th) and the German international Florian Wirtz (69th) secured the team of coach Gerardo Seoane with their goals but then the enormously important opening win in the group with Betis Sevilla and Celtic Glasgow.
The group win is more important than ever after the foundation of the Conference League and the reduction of the starting field, because the first in the table save the second round against the relegated from the Champions League and move straight to the round of 16.
Union lost in Conference League
1. FC Union was unable to continue its amazing invincible streak at the start of the group stage in the Conference League. The Berlin Bundesliga club lost 1: 3 (0: 1) to Czech champions Slavia Prague on Thursday evening after being long outnumbered. Still, for minutes there was noisy consolation from the stands.
The goals of Alexander Bah (18th minute), Jan Kuchta (84th) and Ivan Schranz (88th) ended a series of nine competitive games in three competitions without a defeat for the Iron since mid-May. The interim equalization by Kevin Behrens (70th) was ultimately useless. After the yellow-red card for Paul Jaeckel (40th), the Berliners were outnumbered for a long time.
A good 3,000 Union fans in the Sinobo Stadium with the no less enthusiastic Slavia supporters ensured an atmosphere that was absolutely worthy of the European Cup. “They would also celebrate us if we lost 5-0,” said striker Max Kruse after the final whistle on TV. Union will face Maccabi Haifa in their next game on September 30th at the Olympic Stadium, third opponent is Feyenoord Rotterdam.
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