“That was a clear step in the right direction” – Götze reacts to Union draw

Here’s the immediate reaction from the Frankfurt camp following this evening’s 1-1 draw with Union Berlin.

Although Eintracht were unable to secure victory in Albert Riera’s first match in charge – with Leopold Querfeld’s late penalty cancelling out Nathaniel Brown’s sumptuous volley – the performance itself left the players encouraged by their first outing under the new head coach.

Mario Götze reflected positively after the final whistle:

“In the end, we played a pretty good game. We were very dominant, though perhaps not quite decisive enough in the final third. Nevertheless, it was very positive. The body language was good, everyone wanted the ball. We did everything we could to win here – and we know how difficult it is to compete here and get points. I think in the end we still need to learn from the little things – especially when you’re leading 1-0 here in the 85th minute, and then see it through to the finish line.”

The experienced midfielder then assessed the early progress made under Riera:

“A great deal of progress. I think we’ve made good steps in the last few days – we’ve become significantly more stable, significantly more aggressive, significantly better in our play than in previous matches. That was a clear step in the right direction.”

Goalscorer Nathaniel Brown also struck an upbeat note despite the late setback:

“I am very proud of the team. Of course, the way the game unfolded is bitter, that we conceded the equalizer. I believe it was a very good performance.”

The young full-back went on to speak about working under Albert Riera:

“He wants to give us a lot and show us his game. We’re taking that on board. Of course, it takes time, but it’s a lot of fun.”

Frankfurt will now turn their attention to next weekend’s home clash with Borussia Mönchengladbach at Deutsche Bank Park, as they look to secure their first victory under Riera and first since December.