Alexander Meier's brace earned Eintracht Frankfurt just their second win in nine Bundesliga games as they beat 10-man Hamburger SV 2-1 this evening.
The experienced forward missed out on a hat-trick as he hit the crossbar with a stoppage-time penalty, but his earlier double proved enough for Frankfurt.
Each side needed their goalkeeper to be on top form to keep the scores goalless inside the opening 10 minutes as Kevin Trapp saved an Artjoms Rudnevs snapshot and Jaroslav Drobny blocked Meier's low drive.
However, their was nothing that Drobny could do to deny the match-winner on 12 minutes as he buried his spot kick after former Arsenal defender Johan Djourou was blown up for a barge on Lucas Piazon in the area.
Chelsea loanee Piazon came within inches of adding his own name to the scoresheet when his free kick went inches over the crossbar, and Hamburg's Zoltan Stieber also threatened with a set piece which Trapp parried clear.
Stieber did level for the visitors after a flowing team move two minutes into first-half stoppage time. Mohamed Gouaida raided down the left before passing inside to Nicolai Muller, whose reverse ball was neatly tucked away.
Frankfurt regained their lead within seven minutes of the restart as Meier drilled into the bottom corner after Djourou's slide tackle had rolled kindly into his path, and Hamburg's hopes of equalising again were dashed when Matthias Ostrzolek was sent off for two bookings in the space of 11 minutes.
Djourou's rotten luck lasted throughout the 90 minutes and beyond as he conceded a second penalty in added time, having been adjudged to have tripped Marc Stendera, but Meier's shot pinged back off the woodwork.
The result sees Frankfurt climb two places to eighth in the table, while Hamburg remain only two points above the relegation zone.
Joe Fish
