Goetze header sends Frankfurt past Mainz

A second-half header from Mario Goetze lifted Eintracht Frankfurt to a 1-0 win over derby rivals Mainz on Friday, keeping the home side in touch with the European placings.

Germany's World Cup hero from 2014 put Frankfurt in front with just over a quarter of an hour remaining, heading in the rebound from his own shot.

Goetze looked to be offside but his first goal of the season survived a lengthy VAR review, with images showing a deflection off a Mainz player.

"It worked out with the win" Frankfurt captain Kevin Trapp told DAZN. "But I don't know whether it was a good match. It was a very tough game with hardly any chances to score."

"There were times when we didn't win games like that."

"It's really frustrating" Mainz's Dominik Kohr said, "that a shot which actually wasn't that dangerous fell at the feet of Mario Goetze, who could bang the thing in."

Frankfurt had the better of a dour first-half, Eric Junior Dina Embibe and Ansgar Knauff failing to convert half-chances.

Goetze was however on the spot to give Frankfurt the lead, the 1.76-metre tall midfielder scoring a rare header to keep his side's unbeaten record in 2024 intact.

The victory consolidated Frankfurt's grip on sixth place, two points and one spot behind fifth-placed Borussia Dortmund, who face Bochum at home on Sunday.

Despite the win, it was an unhappy night for Manchester United loanee Donny van de Beek, who was pulled off at halftime after a largely anonymous outing.

The loss continued 16th-placed Mainz's poor season. Mainz have won just one of 18 games this season and could finish the round in last place should results go against them.

On Saturday, injury-hit Bayern Munich travel to Bavarian neighbours Augsburg, hoping to keep pace with league leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

Leverkusen, who are still unbeaten this season and sit four points clear of Bayern, are in action at home against Borussia Moenchengladbach in the evening's match of the round.