BERLIN, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Eintracht Frankfurt consolidated their hold on third place after coming from behind to rout Freiburg 4-1, while Bayer Leverkusen edged closer to leaders Bayern Munich with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Mainz in the opening match of the 17th round of the Bundesliga on Tuesday.
The Eagles started on the front foot, dominating possession as they looked to settle into a rhythm at Deutsche Bank Park. Freiburg, however, was well organized defensively and frustrated Frankfurt's attack in the early stages.
Freiburg broke the deadlock against the run of play in the 37th minute when Merlin Rohl's precise cut-back pass found Ritsu Doan, who slotted home to silence the home crowd. The goal served as a wake-up call for Frankfurt, which responded six minutes later when Robin Koch rose highest to head in Omar Marmoush's free-kick, leveling the score at 1-1.
After the break, Frankfurt seized the momentum. Marmoush turned from provider to finisher, converting Nathaniel Brown's clever build-up to give the hosts the lead. Freiburg struggled to recover, and Frankfurt capitalized on their disarray after Mario Gotze's pinpoint through-ball dissected the defense, allowing Hugo Ekitike to fire into the top left corner.
Frankfurt wasn't done yet. Marmoush again turned provider, setting up Nnamdi Collins for an easy finish to secure an emphatic 4-1 victory.
Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen kept pace with Bayern Munich, running out 1-0 winners against a resilient Mainz side. Alejandro Grimaldo's free-kick proved decisive as Leverkusen's patience and control were ultimately rewarded.
"It was tough. We controlled the game, but we know Mainz very well. We had enough patience and were rewarded in the end," said Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso.
In other matches, newly promoted Holstein Kiel stunned Borussia Dortmund 4-2, handing the struggling BVB their second consecutive loss in 2025. Meanwhile, Lukas Nmecha scored twice to power Wolfsburg to a 5-1 triumph over Borussia Monchengladbach. ■
