Orban scores inside two minutes of introduction as Hoffenheim grabs late equaliser against Frankfurt

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Nigerian striker Gift Orban scored within two minutes of his introduction in Hoffenheim’s 2-2 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.

Frankfurt appeared on course for their best-ever Bundesliga campaign, with Hugo Ekitike’s two goals giving them a firm advantage. The French striker, who had been urged by coach Dino Toppmoeller to step up following Omar Marmoush’s move to Manchester City, delivered early.

After winning and converting a penalty in the 26th minute, Ekitike doubled his tally in the second half, finishing off a Rasmus Kristensen cross.

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Despite Ekitike’s brilliance, Frankfurt failed to hold their lead. Hoffenheim, determined to escape the relegation battle, fought back with resilience. Tom Bischof’s exquisite play initially seemed to have set up an equaliser for Adam Hlozek, but the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside.

Undeterred, Hlozek soon turned provider, delivering a precise cross for Orban to score his first goal since joining from Lyon earlier in January.

Reflecting on the result, Orban told the club’s official website, “We deserved more than one point today. I’m very tired but happy we got another point. We want to continue like this.

“It was a very cr*zy game, but we did well and were dominant. That’s exactly how we want to play. I was very emotional after my goal. We make too many mistakes, but today it worked better. We were compact.”

The late drama didn’t end there. With Frankfurt seemingly destined for victory, Andrej Kramaric produced a moment of brilliance by setting up Hlozek for a 95th-minute equaliser.

The point proved crucial for Hoffenheim, who moved four points clear of the relegation zone. Frankfurt, however, slipped further behind league leaders Bayern Munich, now trailing by 11 points.

Ekitike expressed his frustration after the game. “A game is more than just 90 minutes. We need to stay more focused together—it’s a bit st*pid to lose points like this.” Although pleased with his individual contributions, the striker admitted, “If I score two goals but I don’t win, I can’t be really happy.”

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