Union Berlin's gave their Champions League hopes a boost on Sunday as a rare goal from Rani Khedira helped them to a 2-0 win over Bundesliga top-six rivals Eintracht Frankfurt. 

Khedira - the brother of 2014 World Cup winner Sami - stabbed in the opener to score only his seventh goal in 194 Bundesliga appearances and lift Union back into third place. 

"It's also my first goal for Union so I am very happy," Khedira told Dazn. "Today was much more about mentality than about tactics."

Both sides came into the game on five-game winless runs and trying to bounce back after being dumped out of European competition in midweek. 

Frankfurt had the lion's share of the chances in the first half as Union reverted to their trademark counter-attacking style. 

Randal Kolo Muani grazed the woodwork three times with headers, while Daichi Kamada forced a smart save from in-form Union keeper Frederik Ronnow.  

Yet the hosts struck first, as Khedira stabbed the ball home from close range after Frankfurt failed to clear a corner.  

Sheraldo Becker nutmegged Frankfurt keeper Kevin Trapp to find the net again for Union on 69 minutes, but the strike was ruled out for offside.  

Trapp was left blushing when he again let the ball through his legs a few minutes later to allow Kevin Behrens to double the lead.

Union -- unbeaten in 18 straight home games in the league -- are three points ahead of RB Leipzig in third.