Status: 11/06/2022 7:38 p.m
SC Freiburg remains on course for the Champions League in the Bundesliga and is now Bayern’s first pursuer. 1. FC Köln had no chance.
With the well-deserved 2-0 (0-0) on Sunday evening (November 6th, 2022), Freiburg overtook Union Berlin, the previous table leader of the Bundesliga was just before got under the wheels in Leverkusen. The people of Breisgau are one point behind the record champions from Munich in second place.
Schwäbe keeps Cologne in the game
From the beginning, both teams were able to see the experiences from the European competitions during the week. Cologne, which was the only German team to be eliminated early, started sluggishly and seemed tired, while Freiburg acted with a lot of momentum.
FC keeper Marvin Schwäbe alone was to thank for the fact that the guests held the 0-0 lead for so long: Schwäbe reacted particularly well in the 15th minute to a double chance from Ritsu Dōan and Michael Gregoritsch, to further shots from Dōan and Vincenzo Grifo Freiburg lacked the precision.
Barely over the center line
In the first half hour, Cologne had a single chance through Florian Kainz (6th) after a bad pass from SC goalkeeper Mark Flekken, but was otherwise completely constricted and hardly ever got over the middle line. 60 percent possession of the ball and 6:1 shots on goal for Freiburg did not adequately reflect the superiority after 30 minutes, the FC did not get on the track at all offensively.
Only in the last five minutes before the break did the Cologne team decide to take an active part in the game. After a header from Steffen Tigges, Ellyes Skhiri narrowly missed the ball (41′), a minute later Skhiri finished a good pass from Linton Maina a little too high from close range.
Jeong with the lead gate
The guests started the second round a little braver than the first, but were also punished for it. When too many FC players had moved up and Tigges lost the ball up front, Freiburg countered coldly: Via Nicolas Höfler and Gregoritsch, Woo-yeong Jeong got the ball, was minimally offside and gave Schwäbe no chance with a well-placed shot (53 .).
After that, Holland’s national keeper Flekken made another blatant mistake in the build-up, but like against Kainz in the first round he was able to repair his mistake against Maina himself this time (60th).
Gregoritsch uses double faults
The game was decided four minutes later: After a cross from World Cup candidate Christian Günter, the two FC central defenders Luca Kilian and Nikola Soldo were standing in no man’s land, while Gregoritsch headed in right between them to make it 2-0.
FC coach Steffen Baumgart then tried a completely new offensive line-up, but even the four new players couldn’t turn the game around. Freiburg played the lead without much brilliance, but ultimately went home in total sovereignty. It never got tight for Christian Streich’s team – but the Freiburg coach apparently cried with relief and joy at the final whistle.
Freiburg as a guest in Leipzig
On the 14th matchday, Freiburg now has to beat the reigning DFB Cup winners Leipzig (Wednesday, November 9th, 2022 at 8:30 p.m.). Two hours earlier, Cologne is challenged at home in the NRW duel against Leverkusen.
Source: sportschau.de