Frankfurt nudge nearer to Champions League after beating Stuttgart
Frankfurt's Mario Goetze (L) celebrates scoring his side's first goal with his teammate Hugo Ekitike during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and VfB Stuttgart at Deustche Bank Park. Arne Dedert/dpa
Eintracht Frankfurt moved closer to securing a Champions League spot after Mario Götze clinched a 1-0 home win over 10-man VfB Stuttgart.
The Eagles flew up to third in the Bundesliga with seven to play, although Mainz can reclaim that spot with a win at 12th-placed Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.
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Frankfurt now have a five-point cushion on fifth-placed Borussia Mönchengladbach, but Freiburg can cut that gap to three if they win at home to Union Berlin on Sunday.
Mid-table Stuttgart, runners-up last term, went close in the first half through Jamie Leweling and Enzo Millot. Frankfurt also had two efforts cleared off the line from Tuta and Ansgar Knauff, who was injured as he fell after shooting.
Hugo Etikité then hit the post, moments after having another good chance, and Götze fired the rebound over.
In a frantic passage of play, Ameen Al-Dakhil soon hauled down Ekitiké and was sent off for a professional foul on 58 minutes.
Götze did not make the same mistake twice on 71 and netted after Hugo Larsson's effort had come back off the post.
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