Like in every other top-flight fixture in Germany this weekend, the clash between SC Freiburg and 1. FC Köln started with a 12-minute silence from the fans as a protest against the DFL’s external investment deal. At the start of the game, it felt as though we had travelled back to corona times, where you could hear every single noise from the pitch and the instructions given by the coaches. The silence was concluded by a loud round of applause from the stands. It was certainly an interesting start to the game, but was definitely preferable when the fans’ chants started echoing around the stadium. SCF made two changes to their starting XI from the meeting with West Ham during the week, which saw Michael Gregoritsch and Roland Sallai get replaced by Merlin Röhl and Lucas Höler up front.
The 29-year-old was directly involved in SC’s first big chance of the game, after winning possession and playing the ball through to Ritsu Doan in the penalty area, who pulled the trigger with his left foot, but his effort was blocked (4’). The visitors, who are currently 16th in the Bundesliga table, started all guns blazing, and put the Freiburg backline under immediate pressure. As silence filled the Europa-Park Stadion, you were able to clearly hear head coach Christian Streich tell his team after ten minutes had passed that they were playing “too deep”. Just before the end of the silent protest, Merlin Röhl’s attempt from 16 metres out, which flew just wide of the Köln goal, was praised with only a round of applause (11’). At the 12-minute mark, spectators started throwing chocolate coins onto the pitch and shouting abusive chants at the DFL, which caused the match to be stopped for a number of minutes so that all the coins could be removed from the pitch.
More of the ball, but not many chances
It was then back to playing football and singing for the team – a much nicer atmosphere than in the first 15 minutes. SCF began to get more positive in an attacking sense. A shot from Doan was blocked once again, and Grifo’s free kick on the left was cleared away. Röhl and Höler repeatedly won the ball up front, but SCF still failed to create clear goalscoring chances. It took until the 28th minute for FCK goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe to get seriously tested, when he comfortably saved Grifo’s right-footed curler. SCF stayed on the offensive as Grifo saw an effort get blocked once again (29′). In the 33rd minute, the Italian cut into the middle from the left and pulled the trigger with his right foot, but he fired just wide. While the hosts didn’t completely pen in their opponents, they clearly had more of the game and a lot more attacking impetus, but still no big chances.
The second half started with an uproar from the Freiburg bench after Höler was brought down in the box following an aerial duel. Referee Harm Osmers signalled for play to continue, allowing Köln to get in on goal, but Florian Kainz’s effort went just wide of the target. SC were in control of the game and regained possession quickly after losing it, but the visitors’ defence remained strong and prevented any chances from penetrating their lines. This naturally saw Osmers blow his whistle on many occasions to stop the play for minor offences.
SC use their numerical advantage
Osmers was then forced to pause proceedings after Jeff Chabot committed a late foul on Höler, which resulted in a second yellow for Köln’s number 24 and a free kick being awarded to the hosts. SC Freiburg now had the advantage with one extra player on the pitch, and one less person to get in the way of their attack.
However, going down to ten men caused the visitors to sit very deep in their own half, which didn’t give Freiburg a whole lot of space to exploit. They only advanced up the pitch when on the counter, like in the 68th minute, where Mark Uth’s effort flew inches wide of the left post. Finally, SC were able to assert their dominance and take the lead, thanks to the work of Merlin Röhl and the attacking duo of Gregoritsch and Sallai. The Hungarian cut inside on the left and curled a picture-perfect cross into the back post, where Röhl was waiting to nod it onto Gregoritsch, who buried it home from just five meters out (72’).
Chances left, right, and centre
Floated crosses from the left began to look like a useful avenue. In the 78th minute, fellow substitute Noah Weißhaupt played the ball high into the penalty area, where Röhl was waiting and got his head on the ball, but failed to get the direction. Chances kept on coming down the left side. Sallai saw the gap and threaded it through to Röhl, whose effort was deflected wide for a corner (83′). With a man advantage, SCF well and truly had control of the game, but defensively remained strong in the individual battles and won back the ball quickly after losing it. Gregoritsch had the goal at his mercy after some nice build-up play, but hit his shot straight at Schwäbe. Immediately afterwards, Sallai had a chance, but he also let it go begging.
Just before the final whistle, Röhl was almost able to round off his strong performance with a goal, but his shot was cleared for a corner, which Gregoritsch got on the end of, but he couldn’t find the target. It was Sallai’s turn next, but his effort was denied by the woodwork in the 90th minute. After failing to create many big chances in the first half, SC were flying in the closing stages of the game. Sallai’s hard work was finally rewarded, as he was able to head in Freiburg’s second of the game thanks to an assist from attacking-partner Gregoritsch (95’).
Prior to the clash, Vincenzo Grifo expressed his desire to “continue the good momentum in the league,” which SCF certainly managed to achieve. The win against Köln marked Freiburg’s third in a row, to which Maximilian Eggestein remarked following the game: “After they went down to ten men, we were able to create a lot of chances. That’s why we deserved the three points.” Streich agreed that the numerical advantage was the reason why the hosts came out on top: “We fought hard and didn’t let much through defensively. Köln going a player down was obviously a big help for us. The fact that our substitutes got stuck in when they came on was also a decisive factor.” The head coach was full of praise about his team: “After the game in London, our focus completely turned to coming back home and putting in a shift against Köln. The way the boys dealt with it all psychologically was fantastic.”
Photo: Achim Keller