Kostic leads Frankfurt to third straight win

Eintracht Frankfurt, who has won seven of its last eight league games, is on 36 points, one ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, and two behind third-placed VfL Wolfsburg.

Filip Kostic of Eintracht Frankfurt celebrates with Daichi Kamada (R) and team mates after scoring their side's first goal during the Bundesliga match between TSG Hoffenheim and Eintracht Frankfurt at PreZero-Arena on February 07, 2021 in Sinsheim, Germany

Filip Kostic scored once and set up another two goals to guide Eintracht Frankfurt to a 3-1 victory at Hoffenheim on Sunday as its third straight Bundesliga win kept the side in fourth place and on course for a Champions League spot.

Eintracht, who has won seven of its last eight league games, quickly took control and Serbia winger Kostic broke clear down the left and fired in a fine left-foot shot from a tight angle.

The visitor controlled the pace in the first half but Hoffenheim drew level in the 47th with substitute Ilhas Bebou shaking off two Frankfurt players before drilling the ball home two minutes after coming on.

Frankfurt, however, struck twice in three minutes with its first chances in the second half with Evan Ndicka heading in what initially had looked like a harmless free kick from Kostic.

Andre Silva powered in a downward header at the far post from a superbly chipped Kostic cross in the 64th to complete a lightning-quick counter-attack that caught Hoffenheim completely off guard.

Portuguese Silva has now netted 17 times and is second on the scorers list behind Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski who has 24.

Frankfurt is on 36 points, one ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, and two behind third-placed VfL Wolfsburg. Bayern Munich leads the title race on 48 points.

The late Sunday game between Arminia Bielefeld and Werder Bremen was postponed due to heavy snow in the northwestern part of the country.