Keeper Mark Fleken has not managed to crown his top season with his club SC Freiburg with a medal: in the final of the DFB Pokal, Freiburg lost to RB Leipzig (1-2) after a penalty series.
With this, both Fleks individually and the Freiburg club missed their very first national prize. The keeper from Bocholtz could not change that during the penalty shootout.
Base
The 28-year-old Bocholtzenaar, who had already secured a Europa League ticket with his club via a sixth place in the Bundesliga, naturally also started in the cup final in the Olympiastadion in Berlin. The goalie was soon able to cheer, because in the 19th minute Maximilian Eggestein gave the Freiburgers a 1-0 lead with a watched shot.
Stopped and Fooled
Fleks then had to thwart goals against Willi Orban and Christopher Nkunku twice. After a red card for Leipzig defender Marcel Halstenberg, nothing seemed to stand in the way of Freiburg’s cup victory, but fifteen minutes before the whistle, Flek was fooled by a bet at the far post. Nkunku punished that: 1-1.
Pole and slat
Leipzig got wings, but Flek saved his team from falling behind with a double reflex on shots from Dominik Szoboszlai and Benjamin Henrichs. The result was an extension. In this Freiburg was unlucky that Janik Haberer first hit the post and then the bar, but Flek and co were also lucky that Leipzig was not awarded a penalty in the end.
penalty shootout
A penalty series had to make the decision. After a miss by Freiburg captain Christian Günter, Flek knew that one Leipzig penalty should not be hit, but the goalie failed to parry a penalty. When Ermedin Demirovic also missed the fourth Freiburg-pingel, the cup dream of Freiburg and Flek finally shattered.
Orange
The season is over for Freiburg, but an important dessert awaits for Fleks. He will report to the Dutch National Team for four Nations League matches, against Belgium, Poland and Wales twice. In the previous two international matches, the Bocholtzenaar was the first choice of national coach Louis van Gaal under the bar. Flek hopes to strengthen his position with a view to the World Cup in November.
Also read: Mark Fleks again in the pre-selection of Orange