Frankfurt defeat Gladbach to go second

Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 Borussia Mönchengladbach
(Boateng 43', Jovic 90'+3)

The last time Eintracht Franfurt finished a Bundesliga gameweek in second place was more than five years ago.

In that same season the club finished sixth, qualifying for the Europa League. On Friday night, a 2-0 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach elevated Frankfurt momentarily up to second, further bulgeoning their credentials for a return to continental competition.

Niko Kovac's side started strongly, brimming with confidence off the back of a four-match unbeaten streak. The hosts should have been ahead after just six minutes, Marius Wolf somehow missing the target after Ante Rebic had led a blistering counter-attack.

Boateng the difference

Chances were few and far between after that opening opportunity, with both teams' conservative set-ups largely canceling each other out. But just before half-time, Frankfurt drew first blood. Timothy Chandler turned Patrick Herrmann wide on the left and raced past the winger before squaring for Kevin-Prince Boateng to slide home.

It was the midfielder's fourth goal of the season after arriving on a free summer transfer, highlighting one way Kovac has transformed this team. With a meagre budget compared with most of the other Bundesliga teams vying for European qualification, Frankfurt's dealings in the off-season window have to be applauded.

Simon Falette and Carlos Salcedo have bolstered the defence, helping form the Bundesliga's second-best backline, while Sebastian Haller has helped fill the void of injured club stalwart Alexander Meier, scoring eight goals so far this season.

But Boateng was the real coup. His fierce competitive streak, combined with his power on the ball and flamboyance in attack has provided Frankfurt with a leader. His unpredictable and at times reckless nature, however, also reared its head in the second period.

Missed opportunity for Gladbach

Gladbach came out more determined after the break and Herrmann saw one effort crash back off the crossbar after a blistering counter-attack in the 57th minute.

And when the ball fell to Lars Stindl in Frankfurt's box in the 77th minute with the goal gaping, Boateng raced to the rescue. A clumsy challenge, however, resulted in a penalty. Frankfurt's hard work was about to come undone, Luckily for Boateng, and Frankfurt, Thorgan Hazard crashed his spotkick against the crossbar. A slice of luck for the home side.

And deep into injury time, Frankfurt made Gladbach pay. Substitute Luka Jovic, a loan signing from Benfica, firing home his third goal in as many games for a 2-0 victory.

Depending on the weekend's remaining fixtures, Frankfurt could now find themselves in unexpected territory - sitting in second place and with it a real chance of qualifying for Europe again.

Impressive Kovac

At this stage last season, Kovac led Frankfurt to third in the league, before 10 losses in the last 15 games resulted in a relatively disappointing 11th-place finish.

This season it seems hard to see a similar collapse occurring. With Kovac forming a more resolute defence and midfield general Boateng barking orders on the pitch, this season's squad appears to have a lot more resolve.

Kovac's summer signings have pushed this club to a new level, after building the basic framework in his first full season as a Bundesliga coach. The transformation has been incredible. In just 18 months Kovac has taken the squad from relegation fodder into potential Champions League participants.

While Europe's elite competition should be one step too far for Frankfurt - especially considering the financial clout of Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Schalke — at least a Europe League spot is definitely within reach.

Frankfurt's biggest dilemma come the end of the season may not be fending off bids for their prized assets on the field, but managing to keep a tight hold on an increasingly impressive Niko Kovac.