46′
10:04 p.m
Substitution at TSC Bačka Topola: Aleksandar Ćirković
46′
10:04 p.m
Substitution at TSC Bačka Topola: Nikola Kuveljić
46′
10:04 p.m
Substitution at TSC Bačka Topola: Josip Čalušić
46′
22:03
Substitution at TSC Bačka Topola: Jovan Vlalukin
46′
22:03
Kick-off of the 2nd half
45′+1
9:52 p.m
Half-time conclusion:
Halftime at the Europa Park Stadium! The local SC Freiburg is ahead 1-0 against Backa Topola after a strong and enthusiastic performance. Christian Streich’s team clearly held the reins with cheeky pressing and tricky vertical balls from their own ranks and only allowed the deep-lying Serbian runner-up to take a deep breath. The strong Merlin Röhl took the lead in the 24th minute and if there is one thing to criticize, it is the fact that they should actually be leading 2-0 or 3-0.
45′+1
9:48 p.m
End of 1st half
45′+1
9:47 p.m
That has to be 2-0 for the sports club! After a tricky banana cross from Noah Weißhaupt, neither Lucas Höler nor Kiliann Sildillia manage to maneuver the ball over the goal line from very close range in the center because Goran Antonic passionately throws himself into the path of the shot!
45′
9:45 p.m
Official added time (minutes): 1
44′
9:43 p.m
…but this too poses anything but a danger. It doesn’t look like Freiburg’s half-time lead is in danger!
43′
9:43 p.m
Or not? Saša Jovanović can take the next corner kick for the Serbian runners-up…
42′
9:43 p.m
Unbelievable, but there is actually the first corner for the guests! In his own penalty area, Röhl shot his opponent during a not entirely clean clearance. The subsequent corner leads to no result because Lucas Höler successfully helps out at the back. That was it for the guests’ offensive for the moment.
39′
9:40 p.m
Yellow card for Philipp Lienhart (SC Freiburg)
Because Lienhart used unfair means to prevent one of the guests’ rare counterattacks in midfield, he was shown a yellow card by the referee.
38′
9:39 p.m
That does not exist! When Merlin Röhl wins the ball, he initiates the attack himself. Vincenzo Grifo’s shot from a tight angle in the penalty area is blocked by the guests’ defense straight back to Röhl at the second post. The U21 national player has a clear shot, turns 90 degrees, takes the ball from seven meters with his full arm – and hits the aluminum with full force from a safe distance! The ball is then cleared out of the danger zone and the score remains 1-0!
37′
9:37 p.m
Topola wants to counter after another Freiburg corner, but the attempt is blocked in their own half. The fans in the stands literally get to see one-way street football.
36′
9:36 p.m
Now a bit of sitting football: Merlin Röhl falls to his four letters in the center circle, but from this position he can chip the ball forward to Maximilian Eggestein. At the end of this attack, the home team can at least get a corner again.
34′
9:34 p.m
17 to zero shots on goal and 70 percent ball possession: the numbers clearly speak for the hosts from Breisgau.
33′
9:33 p.m
Merlin Röhl has made it 2-0 after a really strong attack from his own half over three stops! Alone, he runs a few steps towards the guests’ goalkeeper in front of the penalty area, but is then whistled back at the same time as his shot: offside.
31′
9:31 p.m
After half an hour it is time for an interim conclusion: SC Freiburg plays cheerfully and cheekily forward and presses the Serbs early. Although they defend very compactly, they don’t contribute anything to the encounter on offense. The best chance for the guests goes to Matthias Ginter, whose back pass almost went wrong.
30′
9:30 p.m
Ilić plucks the subsequent free kick confidently out of the air at the far post.
29′
9:29 p.m
Yellow card for Jovan Vlalukin (TSC Bačka Topola)
After a foul on Weißhaupt with no chance of the ball, the visitors’ defender sees the yellow card.
27′
9:28 p.m
Sildillia now wants to cross into the middle from the right side, but a member of the Serbian five-man chain deflects the ball onto the goal net.
25′
9:28 p.m
Höler has the 2-0 on his feet! He sees that Veljko Ilić is at least two meters too far in front of the box and just has to lift a long ball from midfield over from 16 meters, but misses completely.
24′
9:23 p.m
Great for SC Freiburg, 1-0 by Merlin Röhl
Freiburg takes the lead! First, Weißhaupt fails to hit a diagonal ball from the left half of the field towards the penalty area, but the opposing defense team can’t get the ball out. And so in the second attempt, Eggestein scored on the right corner of the penalty area, which the Serbs were able to block. But the rebound lands straight ahead to Röhl, who only has to score from the penalty spot because the ball jumps from Veljko Ilić’s hand into the goal!
21′
9:21 p.m
It’s worth seeing that Kiliann Sildillia wins the ball on the right wing in the final third and wants to get into a good cross position. This time, however, two of the Serbs disrupted him decisively and forced him to dribble the ball into the touchline.
18′
9:19 p.m
The situation is clear: the red and whites play with a lot of enthusiasm and build up carefully from the back three, keep the ball mostly in their own ranks and press the Serbs to their own box. There isn’t much to see from the guests yet to form an opinion about.
17′
9:17 p.m
As is well known, he is good for one or two directly converted free kicks – not here: his cross turns out to be mostly harmless and is effortlessly cleared by the Blues’ defensive bar.
16′
9:17 p.m
Jovan Vlalukin also clearly came too late against Weißhaupt with his tackle 25 meters from the goal in the left half field. Again the referee lets the card go, but there is a good free kick position for Vincenzo Grifo!
15′
9:16 p.m
Ouch: After Nicolas Höfler gets Nikola Kuveljić’s open sole in his shin pad during a running duel, the Freiburg player remains lying there in pain. That actually has to be a yellow card!
13′
9:14 p.m
In these minutes, Bačka Topola tries to prepare for the opponent’s bold passes and tightens up the nominal four-man chain: they now defend against the fast Breisgau team with up to six players.
12′
9:12 p.m
Same here from Grifo towards Weißhaupt on the left, but this time Jovan Vlalukin is faster. He plays it safe and clears for a corner, which then results in nothing.
10′
9:11 p.m
Freiburg builds up the game very patiently and deeply and attracts the opposing midfielders. This creates spaces into which you can then play one or two cheeky vertical passes.
9′
9:10 p.m
It’s getting turbulent in the guests’ penalty area! After a cross from Noah Weißhaupt, Höler finishes falling from close range at the second post. The ball hits Mateja Djordjevic from a short distance, who is standing on the goal line in the firing path. There was no penalty whistle because the arm was on and everything was in accordance with the rules. Ginter can receive the rebound and shoot at the near corner, where the visitors’ keeper is there again!
8th’
9:08 p.m
There is the next corner for Freiburg: A cross from Lienhart is blocked at the first post with a high leg behind the goal line.
6′
9:07 p.m
The corner can clear the Serbian backline. Eggestein then tries a dropkick – well over the crossbar.
5′
9:06 p.m
Freiburg gets straight to the point! After a deep pass from Grifo into the interface on the left wing to Noah Weißhaupt, he moves inwards in Robben style shortly after the edge of the penalty area and tries a flat full-range shot, which Veljko Ilić clears for the first corner kick of this encounter.
4′
9:04 p.m
Almost the lead for SC Freiburg! Lucas Höler runs very aggressively towards Jovan Vlalukin in the penalty area semicircle and is able to win the ball from him. From close range he fails with his shot from the penalty spot to Veljko Ilić, who just shortens the angle decisively!
2′
9:03 p.m
The referee for today’s match is Norwegian Rohit Saggi. He is supported by Morten Jensen and Anders Olav Dale on the lines and Kai Erik Steen in the coaching area. Massimiliano Irrati sits in the video cellar for the tricky situations.
1′
9:02 p.m
The first moment of shock for the home team! After a sloppy back pass from Matthias Ginter, the ball landed treacherously just in front of goalkeeper Noah Atubolu. But the Breisgauer goalkeeper is there and knocks the ball away just in front of the line.
1′
9:00 p.m
Here we go! The reigning Serbian runner-up in the dark blue jerseys toasts.
20:54
Nicolas “Chicco” Höfler before today’s game: “The fans have been flocking to the stadium for years and that’s why we want to give something back – not just with goals or spectacular games, but above all three points. That’s the ultimate goal.” With regard to the tactical orientation, he said: “It is extremely important that we can sometimes finish games with a clean sheet. That’s why we have to defend together very compactly so that we can support each other when mistakes are made.”
8:37 p.m
Christian Streich (SC Freiburg coach) at the press conference yesterday Wednesday before the game: “Topola had a few days ago [in der heimischen Liga, Anm. d. Red.] scored a last-minute point against Red Star Belgrade and made it 2-0 against Olympiacos. It’s important that the boys play a serious and good game because we want to win under all circumstances.” A win would at least ensure a winter in an international competition and the prospects of progressing would be very good.
20:28
Two weeks ago, the Breisgauer team won the first leg in Serbia 3-1. Thanks to a flawless hat trick from Vincenzo Grifo, SCF turned the game around in the second half and is now level on points with West Ham United at the top of Group A.
8:17 p.m
Compared to the game against the Fohlen, Christian Streich makes two changes to the starting line-up: Noah Weißhaupt and Manuel Gulde, who have been convincing recently, are given preference over Ritsu Dōan and Lukas Kübler, who initially sit on the sidelines.
8:08 p.m
Last Saturday, the sports club fought for a point against Borussia Mönchengladbach on home turf after being 3-1 down at half-time. In the last minute of stoppage time, Vincenzo Grifo converted a penalty kick to make the final score 3-3 and thus put himself in position for the duel against the bottom of the group from Serbia.
19:56
Good evening! For today’s preliminary round game in Group A of the Europa League, SC Freiburg is hosting TSC Bačka Topola from Serbia. Can the Breisgauers extend their lead in the group and take another step towards the next round? Kick-off is at 9:00 p.m.!