With the German general election coming up on Sunday, SCF thematised the opening game of the Bundesliga weekend with an initiative titled ‘Our values. Our choice!’ The spectators who went through the turnstiles at the sold-out Europa-Park Stadion enjoyed an intensive, captivating contest, with the away side getting off to a good start. Unchanged from their last game against St. Pauli, Freiburg were put under pressure by their visitors straightaway. One thing which was clear from the opening exchanges was that patience would be an important factor in the hosts’ play.

Given the Green-Whites’ bright start, it didn’t come as a big surprise that the first dangerous goal attempt was seen flying towards Noah Atubolu’s goal. André Silva took aim from just outside the box, but the SCF keeper was able to get behind the effort (8’). Freiburg were waiting for Bremen to give the ball away and then try to launch a counter, and they were able to execute this in the 14th minute. After winning back possession in their own half, Maximilian Eggestein launched the counter offensive by driving forward and saw the ball return into his path just in time to get a shot off, from which he won a corner for his side.

An evening of Freiburg wondergoals

This corner would lead to the opening goal of the night. After the ball was flicked on at the near post, Kiliann Sildillia ran back towards it before unleashing a sensational overhead kick from eight yards out, giving Freiburg the lead after 15 minutes. However, Bremen almost responded just three minutes later. A cross in from the left found the unmarked Silva in the box, but his free header went wide of the target.

Some lively Friday-night football was being played, as the league’s tenth-placed side, who had only won on just one occasion so far this year, were well in the game. As too were SCF, who wanted to build on their three-match winning streak. The coaches were in agreement: “It was an even contest,” commented both Julian Schuster and Ole Werner. At the half-hour mark, referee Max Burda had some stern words for some of the players after a coming together in the six-yard box in the build-up to a Bremen corner. The visitors’ set-pieces weren’t threatening, and they were yet to fashion any decent goalscoring opportunities. 

Vincenzo Grifo then proved yet again why he is the man for a dead-ball scenario in the 33rd minute. The hosts won a free kick following a foul on Merlin Röhl just to the right of the centre of the pitch, and about 20 yards out. Grifo stepped up and scooped it over the wall and into the back of the net to make it 2-0, the next superb finish of the evening.

Atubolu saves spot kick

This first half really had it all. The video assistant referee intervened in the 35th minute to review a potential Freiburg handball in the penalty area. After going to the screen, Burda awarded a penalty, announcing this to the stadium via his new microphone and pointing to the spot. Silva took to the fore amid the jeers and whistles coming from the Südtribüne, looking to tuck the penalty away in the right corner. Atubolu read his opponent and managed to get behind the shot, prolonging the amount of time since which he last conceded, having not let one in for more than five hours before tonight’s fixture. “I really enjoy facing penalties, because it’s me versus the striker. I was really pleased when I made the save,” said Atubolu after the final whistle. 

Soon after a rather quiet start to the second half, it was Grifo once again who had the stands erupting into celebration. After winning the aerial battle from a long ball into Bremen’s half, Ristu Doan and Lucas Höler played a headed one-two before the latter crossed it into the box from the right flank. Grifo popped up and slotted it home for 3-0, as SCF demonstrated real efficiency in front of goal. A goal “at the right time,” explained Schuster, who added: “After the third goal, our pressing game improved considerably.”

Doan puts the cherry on top

SCF were finding particular success on the counter in this game. Röhl and Doan would dribble forward with real pace and cause the Bremen defence problems time and again. This resulted in a chance for Christian Günter on the left-hand side, but his effort was deflected, sparing Werder from conceding a fourth.

However, this fourth goal would then come just a few minutes later. Substitute Eren Dinkci made use of the space available to him on the right-hand side and teed up the unmarked Doan, who fired a low shot past Zetterer from the edge of the box and added to the scoreline (76’). The away side rarely got in front of goal in the final quarter of an hour, and if they did, Atubolu was a commanding presence between the sticks. Down the other end, Doan missed a chance for his second in the 88th minute, but he would then receive another opportunity to do so in added time, one which he didn’t let slip to cap off an excellent evening with Freiburg’s fifth goal. 

“It was a great performance from us.” “A wonderful win.” “An incredible game, one to enjoy.” Sildillia, Günter and Atubolu were in agreement after full-time and were pleased with their side’s largest victory of the season.

Photo: Achim Keller