Noah Atubolu Shines in Frankfurt's Derby Victory Over Mainz
Noah Atubolu walked into Mainz with a reputation. He left with a record stretched, a derby won and a powerful message for the man watching from the stands: Jürgen Klopp.
Eintracht Frankfurt beat 1. FSV Mainz 05 3-1, a scoreline that looks routine on paper. It was anything but. The game swung on a single moment, 43 minutes in, when Mainz had the chance to drag themselves back into it and instead ran straight into the Bundesliga’s penalty specialist.
The penalty that changed everything
Frankfurt were already 1-0 up, courtesy of a familiar face. Former Mainz forward Jonny Burkardt had struck early, adding an extra layer of sting to the derby for the home fans.
Then came Mainz’s lifeline.
Captain Nadiem Amiri put the ball on the spot. The stadium tightened. Atubolu stared him down. Amiri struck.
And joined the list.
The Mainz skipper became the sixth consecutive Bundesliga player to fail from the spot against the 24-year-old. Atubolu, who only arrived in Frankfurt on Deadline Day after a long, drawn-out summer in which he had been pushing for a Premier League move, read it, reached it, and kept it out.
Six penalties in a row saved in the Bundesliga. A record of his own, extended in the heat of a derby.
Before Amiri, Romano Schmid, Andre Silva, Florian Wirtz, Kevin Volland and Josip Juranovic had all tried. All denied by the former Germany youth international. All part of a growing highlight reel that now has the attention of the national coach.
Klopp watched on as Atubolu turned another high-pressure moment into his stage. With the next international break starting on 17 September, the timing could hardly be sharper. That save was more than just a key moment in a league game; it was a loud, clear recommendation for a first DFB call-up.
Uzun strikes twice, Frankfurt cruise
The psychological punch to Mainz was instant.
Barely had the home fans processed the missed opportunity when Frankfurt hit them again. Moments after Atubolu’s save, Can Uzun made it 2-0, striking right on the stroke of half-time and twisting the knife in a rattled Mainz side.
From there, Frankfurt played with authority. Confident, controlled, ruthless when it mattered.
Uzun returned after the restart to finish the job. On the hour mark, he grabbed his second and Frankfurt’s third, making it 3-0 and effectively ending the contest. Any remaining tension in the away end dissolved into celebration.
Mainz did eventually find a way through, but far too late to change the story. Phillip Tietz pulled one back in the 89th minute, a consolation goal that barely disturbed Frankfurt’s stride.
A specialist, not a superhero
The numbers around Atubolu from the spot are starting to look surreal, but he is not flawless.
In 2023 and 2024, before this remarkable run began, Julian Weigl, Lois Openda and Marvin Ducksch all scored past him from the penalty spot in the Bundesliga. He learned the hard way first.
Now, though, he stands as the league’s benchmark in this one-on-one art. Six in a row saved, a personal record extended in Mainz, and a derby performance delivered under the gaze of the Germany coach.
For Frankfurt, it was close to the perfect afternoon: a 3-1 derby win, a brace from Uzun, a goal from Burkardt against his old club, and their Deadline Day goalkeeper turning a penalty into a statement.
The question now is simple: after this, how long can Klopp ignore him?
