Another home win over Augsburg

SCF named the same starting eleven as in Bremen, and only one of those players were in action when Freiburg last lost a home game against FCA ten years ago. SC had won ten of their twelve home games against Augsburg so far, and continued this impressive record into a 13th encounter.

The visitors edged the opening stages of the Matchday 7 fixture, and had the first big chance of the game when Phillip Tietz missed by some distance after finding himself free in the penalty area. The Fuggerstädter were compact defensively and SC struggled to attack quickly. Augsburg however did have problems with SCF’s short-passing game. This led to Freiburg’s first two chances of the match. In the 17th minute, Günter let fly from around 25 yards after one of these moves, and Junior Adamu had another chance inside the box just one minute later. Günter’s effort went just wide, while Adamu was denied by FCA goalkeeper Nediljko Labrovic.

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Freiburg had begun to take control of the game. In the 27th minute, Maximilian Eggestein had a shot from range which Labrovic turned around the post. SCF caused chaos in the penalty area from the resulting corner, but couldn’t quite find the net. They were finally rewarded for their efforts just seven minutes later however when Vincenzo Grifo finished off another excellent move. He played a one-two with Eren Dinkci before leaving Labrovic with no chance with a strike into the bottom right-hand corner (34’).

Just three minutes after the opener, SC added to their lead when Philipp Lienhart headed home a Grifo corner. Lienhart continued his impressive run of form, having found the net twice during the international break with Austria. Günter then added another with a spectacular strike from around 20 yards out. It was a wonderful goal. Grifo called it “a sensational goal from our Capitano”. Günter himself added: “It was the kind of position that I like to shoot from and where I score most of my goals from.”

Augsburg hit back and cut the deficit

Freiburg, who had a comfortable lead, were unchanged at the start of a second half which began quietly. SCF were in control, but Augsburg had more possession and cut the deficit to 3-1 in the 65th minute. Tietz was allowed too much space in the penalty area, and, similarly to Grifo, scored from a low right-footed shot. The visitors were now on top and SC were pinned back in their own half. In the 71st minute, Noah Atubolu was to thank for the hosts keeping their two-goal advantage. The goalkeeper saved well with his feet in a one-on-one with Dimitrios Giannoulis, and had also denied FCA five minutes before. “We were too open after half time,” said Lienhart, the scorer of the second goal. His head coach Julian Schuster added: “We were too chaotic and weren’t decisive enough. That allowed Augsburg back into the game, but luckily Atu kept us in front.”

After facing wave after wave of attacks in the first period, FCA goalkeeper Labrovic had little to do after the break, as SCF struggled to keep the ball in the opponents’ half and played a few sloppy passes. There were also no more clearcut chances at the other end though. In the 82nd minute, Augsburg had a shot from distance that went wide. Freiburg did threaten again the last few minutes. Substitute Michael Gregoritsch pulled the ball back to Lukas Kübler, whose strike was blocked. Patrick Osterhage was also denied in injury time, and a Kübler volley was saved by Labrovic. SC were not made to rue these missed chances, and, thanks to that first half, the team celebrated another home victory over Augsburg. It was Julian Schuster’s first against the Fuggerstädter. The head coach said: “We needed a few minutes to get into the game, but I was happy with the first half. We were missing a bit of composure in the second. At the end of the day though, we’re obviously very happy to get another three points on the board.”