Thanks to a brace from right-back Lukas Kübler, SC Freiburg defeated VfL Wolfsburg 3-2 (1-0) – and moved past them again in the table. In the end it got really tight again.
Kübler scored on Friday evening (December 13th, 2024) three minutes before and five minutes after the break, in the 62nd minute Michael Gregoritsch increased the score to 3-0, then Jonas Wind (75th) and Mattias Svanberg (83rd) shortened it with one wonderful bicycle kick. But it was no longer enough to equalize – this ended a series of four wins in a row for the Wolves.
“We played a very good away game in the first half”Wolfsburg captain Maximilian Arnold then analyzed: “In the second half we beat ourselves in the first few minutes.” His trainer Ralph Hasenhüttl argued: “We conceded the first two goals after a set piece, that shouldn’t be the case. But I still always had the feeling that we could get back into the game.”
Sports show, December 13th, 2024 11:31 p.m
Amoura fails because of Atubolu
The game started very evenly, but for a long time without any major highlights. A blatant bad pass from Matthias Ginter caused excitement for the first time in the 13th minute. Maximilian Arnold won the ball and sent Mohamed Amoura straight – but he couldn’t get the ball past Freiburg keeper Noah Atubolu from almost ten meters.
Desert straddle from Gregoritsch
Atubolu was called upon again ten minutes later when Konstantinos Koulierakis headed a left-wing cross dangerously towards the goal – but the goalie deflected the ball around the post. Afterwards, Michael Gregoritsch apparently felt he had to add a bit of aggression to the game. On the sideline, he ran his cleats towards Tiago Tomás’ ankle and caught him clearly.
Luckily for the Austrian, referee Sascha Stegemann left it yellow, which didn’t stop Gregoritsch from playing the innocent and shaking his head – instead of thanking the referee and apologizing to his opponent.
Höler with the hoe template
Whether there is a connection cannot be proven in retrospect, but after this scene Freiburg were significantly better in the game. By the break, the hosts had increased their dominance in ball possession to almost 64 percent and, with a bit of luck, took the lead. Lucas Höler shot at his own leg during a backheel trick after Vincenzo Grifo’s corner, which resulted in the perfect assist for Kübler – the right-back chased the ball into the net from five meters.
Sports show, December 13th, 2024 11:47 p.m
A Grifo corner was also the starting point for Freiburg’s second goal. Gregoritsch and Jonas Wind dueled in an aerial battle for the ball, which was passed on to Kübler – Wolfsburg played for offside, but it went completely wrong: Kübler, who had last scored on the first matchday against Stuttgart (also twice), headed completely free Bar.
Grifo misses, Gregoritsch scores
Before Wolfsburg could recover, Grifo almost joined the scorers himself after two second assists: but his shot in the 52nd minute went just wide of the right post. Gregoritsch then took better aim, heading a precise cross from Ritsu Doan into the far corner – Wolfsburg keeper Kamil Grabara flew in vain for the third time, and his extreme frustration was evident despite his face mask.
But then he could also be happy. A quarter of an hour before the end, the morale and effort of his front men were rewarded with Wind’s goal: Ridle Baku had set up, Wind didn’t even hit the ball optimally, but Atubolu, who was diving a little too slowly, had to watch as it rolled into the far corner.
Svanberg like Klaus Fischer once did
After that, Höler actually had to make everything clear for Freiburg, but first he was denied by Grabara within a few seconds, then Arnold pushed his shot onto the inside post, and on the third attempt he headed it just over the crossbar. That almost took revenge. Substitute Svanberg scored the goal with an overhead kick in the best Klaus Fischer style, and another storm from the guests followed. The Freiburg team defended it very well and continued to push forward – but a goal from Höler in stoppage time was disallowed due to handball.
Freiburg in Leverkusen, Wolfsburg against Dortmund
Freiburg travels to Leverkusen for the top game next matchday (December 21st, 6:30 p.m.). Wolfsburg has to play against Dortmund a day later at the end of the year (December 22nd, 5:30 p.m.).