Eintracht Frankfurt's season has turned a corner after a difficult opening. A 3-1 victory at Mainz 05 on matchday three delivered the club's first win of the campaign and eased the pressure that had been building after a 3-3 draw at Union Berlin and a 1-4 defeat at home to Augsburg. The win lifts Frankfurt to eighth in the Bundesliga table with four points from three games.

The story of the match belonged to goalkeeper Noah Atubolu, who saved his sixth consecutive Bundesliga penalty to extend his own record in the competition. Atubolu's stop against Mainz captain Nadiem Amiri in the 43rd minute proved pivotal, with Can Uzun scoring twice before half-time and again in the second half to seal the result. The performance was watched by national team coach Jürgen Klopp, who has been in contact with Frankfurt striker Younes Ebnoutalib about a potential international future with Germany.

Atubolu's presence alone represents one of the summer's most significant storylines. The 24-year-old arrived on loan from Freiburg only on deadline day after a turbulent transfer window in which hoped-for Premier League interest never materialised. He has spoken openly about the difficulties of that period, describing events that left him deeply frustrated.

Frankfurt now host Freiburg at Deutsche Bank Park on 19 September, a match that will test whether this win marks a genuine shift in momentum or a single bright result in an otherwise inconsistent start.