Ekitike misses stoppage time penalty as Frankfurt lose to Union

BERLIN: Hugo Ekitike had a stoppage time penalty saved as Eintracht Frankfurt´s recent slide continued in a surprise 2-1 home loss against lowly Union Berlin on Sunday.

Frankfurt gave up a one-goal lead to trail 2-1 against the relegation-threatened visitors, but VAR spotted a handball from Danilho Doekhi late in stoppage time, bringing Ekitike to the spot.

Union goalie Frederik Ronnow got his hand to the low shot however, his third penalty save this season, to give his side a crucial victory in their bid to avoid relegation. The loss continued Frankfurt´s slide since selling Omar Marmoush to Manchester City in January. Frankfurt have lost their past three in a row in the league and have won just two of eight league games since the Egyptian´s departure.

Frankfurt took the lead after just 13 minutes through former Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund forward Michy Batshuayi, his first goal since arriving in February.

Batshuayi was on the spot to knock in a deflected shot from defender Rasmus Kristensen. Frankfurt dominated the first half but were unable to add to their lead and were punished in the 62nd minute when Union´s Leopold Querfeld headed in a corner to level the scores.

Union, who had lost seven of their past eight away games in the league, took the lead shortly afterwards, when Wooyeong Jeong did it all himself on the counter, dribbling for 20 metres before slotting a low shot home.

Union looked to have wrapped things up when Benedict Hollerbach had the ball in the back of the net after a length-of-the-field counter, but the goal was chalked off by VAR for an accidental handball up the other end of the field.

The handball rule looked to have gone against Union again in stoppage time but Ekitike´s shot was saved by Ronnow in the fifth minute of added time.

The French striker has now converted just one of three penalties for Frankfurt.

The win takes Union six clear of the relegation spots with nine games remaining.

Frankfurt´s loss continues a weekend of shock results in the Bundesliga, with league leaders Bayern Munich, defending champions Bayer Leverkusen and last season´s Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund all losing to opposition in the bottom half of the table.