“A win here could ensure our place in Europe next season,” said Christian Streich before the game. The teams around Freiburg in the table – i.e. those fighting for European qualification – dropped points this weekend, with TSG Hoffenheim losing at VfL Bochum on Friday night and Augsburg and Frankfurt both falling to defeat this afternoon. For a while it looked like SC would take their chance in a chaotic game against Wolfsburg, however they were dealt a huge blow late on. “We definitely didn’t deserve to lose today,” stated Christian Günter. “We lost because of two stunning goals and a missed penalty.”

There were three changes from the last game against Mainz: Kiliann Sildillia, Roland Sallai and Vincenzo Grifo replaced Lukas Kübler (suspended), Merlin Röhl (injured) and Lucas Höler (bench). SC began brightly and had a triple chance in the fifth minute. Ritsu Doan’s shot was blocked, Michael Gregoritsch hit the rebound off the bar and then Sallai’s overhead kick went over. Gregoritsch had another opportunity four minutes later, however his header was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Koen Casteels, before Sallai’s low drive was deflected wide for a corner (12’).

Searching for the lead

SC were motivated and aggressive, just what Streich had asked for before the game. His side almost went ahead in the 17th minute and it would have been a deserved lead too. Doan’s cross was headed onto the post by Wolfsburg defender Ridle Baku and Gregoritsch was taken by surprise and couldn’t react in time to score from the rebound. Three minutes later, Sallai couldn’t properly control Grifo’s pass in the box.

The visitors, up until this point struggling with SC’s intense pressing, had their first chance out of nowhere in the 24th minute. Nicolas Höfler lost the ball in midfield and Jonas Wind tried to take advantage of Noah Atubolu being well off his line, but the Dane’s effort from around 40 yards out flew just wide. The Wolves had a far better chance shortly afterwards through Tiago Tomas, who was denied by a great Atubolu save.

The deadlock finally broken

Freiburg weren’t unsettled by these Wolfsburg chances and continued to press forward in search of an opening goal as Höfler fired wide during a period of SC pressure (31’). The wait for a goal was finally ended in the 42nd minute.  Doan fizzed a cross into the six-yard box and VfL man Sebastiaan Bornauw inadvertently turned the ball into his own net for 1-0. Streich’s side could have been two to the good by the time the interval came around too: Günter got down the left and played it to Sallai, whose volley went over the bar. Gregoritsch’s volley was then well saved by Casteels.

Man sent off for SC in the second half

The Wolves were greatly improved in the second half after making three changes. “We played a lot better,” said VfL coach Ralph Hasenhüttl. Their first opportunity after the interval saw substitute Kevin Paredes clear the bar. The game was now a lot more even and Wolfsburg were very much in the contest. SC continued to miss chances though: Grifo snatched at his shot in the 54th minute.

Freiburg were cruising for long stretches of the game, but the encounter unexpectedly exploded to life again in the 64th minute, as Sildillia saw red for a heavy tackle. After SC went down to ten men, a lot more of the action started to be played in their half. The coaching staff decided to shore up the defence, while the Wolfsburg were awarded increasingly more set-pieces. The away side equalised in this fashion eight minutes before the final whistle, as Maximilian Arnold’s free-kick found the back of the net via the post.

Sallai spurns chance to put SC back in front

By this point, the game had developed into an end-to-end encounter with a lot of scrappy moments. In the 85th minute, Lucas Höler knocked the ball past Casteels, but VfL’s keeper seemed to catch the striker’s leg. The referee initially waved calls for a Freiburg penalty away, but VAR intervened and the spot kick was awarded. Sallai stepped up for SC, but slipped as he took the penalty. His effort ballooned over the bar and Freiburg’s chance of going back in front went up in smoke (87’). The Wolves completed the turnaround in the dying embers of the match, with Maxence Lacroix scoring the winner in the 90th minute.

“Obviously, we should’ve put things to bed in the first half,” stated Günter after the game. Streich refused to complain, instead saying, “We were amazing. It was one of our best home performances of the season. Sometimes, though, something happens in football that you just can’t explain. Everything that could go against us, went against us. We’ll keep fighting, though. It was great to see how the fans interacted with the team.”

Photo: Achim Keller