Younes Ebnoutalib’s Bundesliga treble not enough for Eintracht Frankfurt

Younes Ebnoutalib made an immediate impact on the opening day of the Bundesliga, scoring three times for Eintracht Frankfurt in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Union Berlin. The Morocco striker’s hat-trick looked to have put his side in control, but a late Union Berlin fightback meant Frankfurt had to settle for a point.

The match began badly for Eintracht Frankfurt, who fell behind inside the opening three minutes. Latte Lath gave Union Berlin the lead in the third minute, leaving the home side with an early deficit to overcome.

Ebnoutalib responded almost immediately. The Moroccan forward struck twice in the space of two minutes, scoring in the 10th and 11th minutes to turn the game around and give Frankfurt a 2-1 advantage.

His quick double changed the momentum of the contest. Having already restored his team’s lead, Ebnoutalib continued to pose a threat as Frankfurt looked to extend their advantage. He completed his treble in the 67th minute, moving the score to 3-1 and appearing to put the result beyond Union Berlin’s reach.

That proved to be premature. Union Berlin remained in the contest and began to apply pressure as the final stages approached. Querfeld pulled one goal back in the 79th minute, reducing the deficit to 3-2 and setting up a tense finish.

Frankfurt were unable to protect their advantage. In the second minute of added time, Skarke scored Union Berlin’s third goal to complete the comeback and secure a share of the points.

The late equaliser overshadowed what had otherwise been a memorable individual performance from Ebnoutalib. His three goals came on the opening Bundesliga matchday and gave Eintracht Frankfurt a strong attacking display, but they were not enough to deliver victory.

Instead, the match ended with both teams taking a point from a six-goal contest. Frankfurt had led 3-1 after Ebnoutalib’s third goal, yet Union Berlin’s late response ensured that the Moroccan striker’s first-day treble did not result in a winning start for his club.