SC Freiburg made it seven games unbeaten away in Sinsheim. The two goalkeepers particularly impressed in the visit to TSG Hoffenheim.

The Freiburg coaching staff made four changes from the 3-1 DFB-Pokal defeat to Arminia Bielefeld in midweek. Noah Atubolu returned in goal in place of Florian Müller. Lukas Kübler and Philipp Lienhart came in for Kiliann Sildillia and Max Rosenfelder. Florent Muslija was named on the bench, with Nicolas Höfler instead starting alongside Patrick Osterhage and Maximilian Eggestein, as he had in the 4-0 defeat to Dortmund.

Eggestein was celebrating his 28th birthday, and almost gifted himself an assist after three minutes. After being played in well by Michael Gregoritsch, the midfielder advanced into the Hoffenheim penalty area and played it back to the Austrian, whose shot from around 13 yards out was not a problem for Oliver Baumann.

“It was important for us today to show the right reaction after what happened on Tuesday,” said Julian Schuster after the game. SCF did exactly that and came out all guns blazing. After just two minutes, Patrick Osterhage was denied by a last-ditch challenge from Valentin Gendrey.

At the other end, Arthur Chaves headed onto the roof of the net from an Andrej Kramaric corner (7’), before Atubolu bravely came out of his goal to snatch the ball from the feet of Kramaric (10’).

Atubolu denies Bruun Larsen

Both teams were on the attack from the start. SC played with a back three, with Ritsu Doan and Christian Günter as wing-backs. Patrick Osterhage and Lucas Höler acted as second strikers behind Gregoritsch. In the 18th minute, Höler found Gregoritsch with a delicate cross from the right. The Freiburg striker’s header from around nine yards out went narrowly wide. Ten minutes later, Doan was inches away from finding the far corner from a tight angle, though the Japanese player was just in an offside position.

The first half was very even, and the home side TSG also created a number of opportunities. In the 32nd minute, Anton Stach put a cross from the right onto the head of Jacob Bruun Larsen, whose header was saved well by Atubolu. Stach himself climbed highest to meet the resulting corner, but this also went just wide (33’). After Günter brilliantly challenged Adam Hlozek when he was through on goal (41’) and Atubolu saved a powerful shot from distance from Valentin Gendrey (44’), it remained 0-0 at the break.

Höler inches away and Ginter finds the net

Neither coach made any changes at the break. The first chance of the second half also fell to Hoffenheim. In the 49th minute, Bischof found Kramaric with an excellent ball-in from the right, but the Croatian striker fired narrowly wide. The biggest opportunity of the game up to that point then came a few minutes later at the other end. Gregoritsch challenged Stach deep in the Hoffenheim half, and the ball eventually fell to Osterhage, who brilliantly played it through to Höler. The SCF forward let fly while off balance from around ten yards out, but the ball went just the wrong side of the post from a Freiburg perspective.

TSG Hoffenheim had gone three competitive games without scoring before Sunday, and you could maybe see why in the 67th minute. Bruun Larsen ran through on goal after a long ball from former Freiburg man Baumann, but fired at Atubolu.

“We had a lot of the ball and controlled the game. In the final third, we often weren’t precise enough and failed to create more goalscoring chances. That made it even better that we scored from a set piece today,” said SC head coach Schuster. Just one minute after Bruun Larsen’s chance, substitute Vincenzo Grifo brilliantly delivered a free kick from the right towards the near post, where Ginter ran onto it to turn home the opener from close range.

Unfortunately, the lead lasted for just five minutes. Max Moerstedt, who had only been on the field for a few seconds, beat multiple defenders with skill and a bit of luck in the Freiburg penalty area. Tom Bischof, who was involved in almost everything for Hoffenheim, received the ball and on the turn struck into the corner from around 13 yards out.

“It was an even game overall,” said Schuster after the final whistle. “I was pleased that we were still piling on the pressure in the last few minutes.” The final action of the match came in the 89th minute. Freiburg forward Eren Dinkci tried a curling shot from around 17 yards out, but Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann made a spectacular flying save. It ended level, which was fair on the balance of play. SC now sit in seventh place with 21 points from 13 games. On Friday (20:30 CET), VfL Wolfsburg travel to the Europa-Park Stadion.

Photo: Achim Keller