4th matchday
Hummels saves Dortmund: arduous 4-2 win in Freiburg
Dortmund’s Mats Hummels (obscured) put his team on the road to victory with two goals in Freiburg. photo
© Tom Weller/dpa
Borussia Dortmund managed a late win at SC after a weak start in the Bundesliga. Three days before the Champions League duel with Paris Saint-Germain, Mats Hummels becomes the match winner.
The defender scored in the 11th and 88th minutes of BVB’s 4:2 (1:2) win at SC Freiburg in the Bundesliga. He poked the second goal through the legs of SC keeper Noah Atubolu. Perhaps three days before the difficult away game in the Champions League at Paris Saint-Germain, it will bring about a change in mood for Dortmund, who have been struggling recently.
Lucas Höler (45th+2) and Nicolas Höfler (45th+6) had turned the game in Freiburg’s favor, and Donyell Malen (60th) made it 2-2. Höfler was shown a red card for a foul on Marcel Sabitzer (81′). After Hummels’ second goal, Joker Marco Reus (90+2) also scored for BVB. The team of SC coach Christian Streich, who suffered their 17th defeat in the 22nd game against Dortmund, will play in the Europa League at Olympiakos Piraeus on Thursday.
Hummels, who had replaced Niklas Süle from the starting line-up, gave BVB the start they had hoped for and scored the early lead with a header from a corner from the busy Julian Brandt. The 34-year-old also scored in the 16th Bundesliga season in a row. The last time the ex-Bayern professional and former Schalke player Olaf Thon achieved this was between 1984 and 2000.
The Dortmund team then played cleverly and initially hardly allowed any offensive action by Freiburg. The hosts only became dangerous with a header from Michael Gregoritsch (16th). The introduction of Grifo, who replaced the injured Gregoritsch in the 28th minute, noticeably revived the Freiburg game. SC coach Streich had previously said that he hoped that the Italian international would give the team energy when he came in. The plan worked. Philipp Lienhart hammered the ball onto the post (31′), but Grifo then served exemplary twice.
First, Höler beat Hummels after a cross from the 30-year-old and headed in with his back to the goal to make it 1-1. Shortly later, Höfler scored after a beautiful free kick from Grifo to make it 2-1 – a double shock for Dortmund in stoppage time.
After a somewhat quieter start to the second half, Brandt was unable to take advantage of a big mistake by Freiburg’s Höfler (54th), then Grifo aimed too high on the other side (55th). BVB coach Edin Terzic reacted: Niclas Füllkrug, who was brought in from Werder Bremen shortly before the transfer deadline, came in for the once again weak Sébastien Haller – and was right in the middle of it all. Malen played a one-two with Füllkrug and scored flat to equalize.
In the final phase, in which Dortmund’s former captain Reus also came on, there were more chances on both sides. After Höfler’s dismissal, Hummels was once again on the top scorer list. Then substitute Reus ensured the final score.