Theofanis Gekas scored a late penalty to give Eintracht Frankfurt a 2-1 home win over Bundesliga high-flyers Mainz tonight.

Marco Russ gave Frankfurt the lead after 35 minutes before Andre Schurrle levelled the game from the spot in the 42nd minute. But Gekas converted a penalty of his own to secure Frankfurt the three points and end a three-game winless streak to move them up to eighth place. Mainz had their two-game winning streak ended and remain in second place.

Schurrle had the first real chance of the game after 17 minutes but struck over the crossbar from eight yards out. Mainz failed to clear a ball in the 35th minute and it resulted in Frankfurt taking the lead as Russ side-volleyed a blast from 11 yards out into the lower corner to make it 1-0.

Mainz were awarded a penalty three minutes before the break as Frankfurt's Halil Altintop lost the ball and then fouled Schurrle in the area. The young Germany international took the responsibility himself and struck his spot kick into the upper middle of the net. The visitors went close to going ahead after 58 minutes but Sami Allagui headed Miroslav Karhan's cross just wide right from 15 yards out. The Tunisia international Allagui again was just off target 10 minutes after after dancing past three Frankfurt defenders before shooting just wide right from 16 yards.

Gekas missed a chance of his own with 13 minutes to play, turning on a ball but hitting just wide right from 11 yards out. The Greece international had a second chance in the 84th minute, this time from the spot after Jan Kirchhoff handled a ball in the area. And Gekas made no mistake as he blasted into the upper-right corner for the winner.