“I can’t explain it any other way” Burkardt bemused by Frankfurt’s second-half drop-off | OneFootball

Frankfurt appeared to be in full control early on during their 2-1 victory in Wolfsburg, racing into a two-goal lead before the break through Oscar Højlund and Arnaud Kalimuendo. But what looked like a comfortable afternoon quickly turned uneasy, as Die Adler retreated after half-time and allowed their relegation-threatened hosts back into the contest.

Burkardt pointed to the opening 45 minutes as the foundation for victory. “With a very good first half,” the 25-year-old told Sky after the final whistle, adding that SGE had “dominated” proceedings. He did, however, acknowledge a slice of fortune, referencing Patrick Wimmer’s early chances: Frankfurt had “a bit of luck,” as those were “two huge opportunities.” Ultimately, he felt his side had simply “seized the victory.”

The contrast between the two halves was not lost on the striker. “We weren’t active anymore, we weren’t pushing forward as much, especially in the back line – and we didn’t dare to play as much anymore,” Burkardt admitted.

Trying to pinpoint the reason behind the drop-off, he suggested recent struggles may have played a part. “Perhaps because of the last few weeks?” he said. “We knew that we’d repeatedly had problems after taking the lead. I can’t explain it any other way. We became completely passive, almost exclusively defending – and that’s not the style of play we want to cultivate. The first half was the complete opposite; we played beautifully going forward and were incredibly active.”

Burkardt also revealed that head coach Albert Riera had urged his players at half-time to maintain their intensity, reminding them the game was still “0-0 and we should stay active and play forward.” The forward admitted it was surprising that the team failed to carry out those instructions.

Still, with three points secured on the road, the bigger picture remained positive. “We won 2-1,” Burkardt concluded, underlining what mattered most: “The main thing is that we took home three points.”

The result leaves Frankfurt sitting seventh, five points clear of Freiburg, who are in action tomorrow.