In the Bundesliga, SC Freiburg struggled for a long time against 1. FC Köln, but after a yellow-red card for the Rhinelanders, they still managed to win thanks to the jokers Michael Gregoritsch and Roland Sallai.
On Sunday (December 17th, 2023) the Breisgauer beat the Cologne team 2-0 (0-0) on home turf. Nothing worked for a long time, but after a good hour FC defender Julian Chabot saw yellow-red (62nd minute). Freiburg’s striker Gregoritsch then scored the opening goal seven minutes after coming on as a substitute (72′). Very late on, Sallai also scored the goal (90+5).
With their third success in a row, Freiburg moved up to sixth place (24 points). All three victories are linked to Gregoritsch’s form: the Austrian already scored decisively in the 1-0 victories against Mainz and Wolfsburg. 1. FC Köln has ten points and is in 16th place.
Stroke proudly, Baumgart praises Freiburg
“What a feat of strength, what a mental achievement“Freiburg coach Christian Streich praised his team after the game to the Sportschau. “We forced the yellow-red card and then played really good football. We always invest so much and then the boys reward themselves at the end.“
“The game was okay in terms of performance” said Cologne coach Steffen Baumgart at the Sportschau microphone after the game. “We lost a game against a team that has the quality that you can definitely say: you can lose against a team like that.“
Clumsy start with fan protest interruption
The fans in the Freiburg stadium saw a slow start. In the midfield, the opponents’ chains moved back and forth, but playful highlights were in short supply.
The game was interrupted after twelve minutes. As part of the protest by the fans against the investor deal decided by the German Football League (DFL), after the initial boycott, insulting chants were loud in Freiburg and chocolate coins were thrown onto the field.
Freiburg more determined, Cologne harmless at the front
Cologne then had a little more ball possession (54 percent) and won more than half of the duels and showed bite. However, striker Davie Selke was hanging in the air and was only on the ball 15 times before the break. Nothing worked at the front.
The Breisgauers were more determined and were clearly ahead in terms of shots on goal after half an hour (7:2). Vincenzo Grifo was the linchpin, failed once by FC goalkeeper Schwäbe (29th) and narrowly missed another shot (33rd).
Lukas Stauss, Sportschau, December 17, 2023 5:32 p.m
In the second half, however, the Cologne team caused the first dangerous goal area scene: Dejan Ljubicic crossed the ball to Florian Kainz on a counterattack, whose direct shot narrowly missed (47′). But not much happened after that.
Yellow-red: Chabot’s decisive duels
Instead, Cologne’s defender Chabot came into focus. At first he went up a little earlier in the air fight than Lucas Höler, but then at least hit him in the face with his arm when he headed the ball. Referee Harm Osmers didn’t blow his whistle, the scene was checked by the VAR, but there was no intervention – no clear wrong decision (49th).
However, Chabot later had to leave the field with yellow and red. Because in the first half he had already hit Merlin Röhl on the ankle during a switchover and caused him to receive a yellow card (31′). Because Chabot was late against Höler after a good hour, Osmers had no choice but to be sent off.
Two jokers ensure Freiburg’s victory
In fact, Cologne’s Mark Uth missed a great chance on the other side because he didn’t hit the ball properly after Linton Maina’s cross (69′).
But of course it was primarily the home team who pressed for the lead. Gregoritsch and Sallai had previously come into the game (65′) – and they were responsible for the opening goal. Sallai’s cross found Röhl, whose header FC goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe was able to defuse, but in the chaos that followed, Gregoritsch casually pushed in.
Freiburg then had a few great chances. For example, Schwäbe parried another shot from Gregoritsch (85′), and the FC goalkeeper also reacted strongly against Sallai (87′), before Freiburg scored in added time.
Cologne demanded in Berlin, Freiburg against Heidenheim
The Baumgart team will face 1. FC Union Berlin in the upcoming English week (Wednesday, December 20, 2023, 8:30 p.m.). The Freiburgers are also playing away at 1. FC Heidenheim.