FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - In the end, the thrilling showdown in Frankfurt produced two winners: football fans and FC Bayern Munich. The main protagonists, Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund, were left frustrated at the start of 2026 over a missed opportunity, but they certainly whetted appetites for more in this Bundesliga season.

"What a game! What more could a football lover ask for?" enthused Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmöller about the spectacle in the 3-3 draw against BVB. Dortmund sporting director Lars Ricken called the match "a showcase for the league." Yet, he could not be truly satisfied.

Ricken: "Needlessly dropped two points"

Because, in terms of keeping the title race alive with runaway leaders FC Bayern, BVB's draw on Matchday 16 was once again not enough.

"Definitely more was possible," Ricken stated. "We needlessly dropped two points here," added the 49-year-old. At least Dortmund consolidated second place in the table with the point and, unlike seventh-placed Eintracht, remain on course for the Champions League. For BVB, that currently seems to be as much as they can hope for.

Events come thick and fast in stoppage time

And after the final whistle, the Black and Yellows could count themselves lucky to have taken a point at all. After former Dortmund player Mahmoud Dahoud scored for Eintracht in the second minute of added time to make it 3-2, everything pointed to a Frankfurt victory. With virtually the last action of the game, Carney Chukwuemeka (90.+6) salvaged a draw for BVB.

"After the 91st minute you can be satisfied, before that not so much. Now we've taken a point, that's okay, but not what we wanted," said Dortmund international Nico Schlotterbeck.

After the upcoming home games against Werder Bremen on Tuesday (20:30) and FC St. Pauli next Saturday (15:30), it will become clear how valuable this point really was, Ricken commented.

Guirassy a cause for concern

Whether striker Serhou Guirassy's goal drought will end by then remains to be seen. The forward, as in the weeks before the Christmas break, cut an unlucky figure in Frankfurt.

The 29-year-old, who has been waiting for a goal since Matchday 9 on October 31 against FC Augsburg (1-0), could do little to nothing right. Every striker "has to go through such a dry spell from time to time," said Dortmund coach Niko Kovac, announcing: "He'll come through it."

Not only did Guirassy fail to score, but he also conceded the penalty that led to Can Uzun's equaliser (22nd minute). The Guinea international had brought down Eintracht defender Robin Koch with a clumsy challenge. An unnecessary foul. "He knows himself that he shouldn't go in like that. That happens maybe once in ten times, but in that moment it was annoying, because we had Frankfurt well under control in the first 20 minutes," said Guirassy's teammate Waldemar Anton.

Frankfurt's new signings deliver instantly

While Guirassy is struggling for form, Frankfurt's new arrivals Younes Ebnoutalib and Arnaud Kalimuendo showed their potential. The duo combined for the 2-2 equaliser. Kalimuendo, on loan from Nottingham Forest, provided the assist, while Ebnoutalib, who joined from second-division side SV Elversberg, scored his first goal in his first Bundesliga match.

"I think it's a very special day for him, especially in front of the home fans," said Toppmöller about his new striker, who is a native of Frankfurt. The goalscorer himself was overwhelmed in his post-match interview with pay-TV channel Sky. "I'm still a bit speechless, it's really an incredible feeling to score on my debut."

Ebnoutalib's rapid rise continues. Just over a year ago, he was playing in the Regionalliga for FC Gießen. So at least one of the protagonists from the 3-3 draw could still feel like a winner./cjo/DP/zb