SV Werder showed real quality in the first half and created some great chances on the counter, but they just couldn’t get a goal before the break. Freiburg improved in the second half and dominated the game towards the end, with Maximilian Philipp scoring the winning goal in the sixth minute of added time, despite Jiri Pavlenka’s strong efforts to stop him.
Line-up and formation: Ole Werner made three changes to the starting XI from last week’s Bundesliga fixture against FC Bayern for Werder’s first away match of the season. Niklas Stark, Romano Schmid and Christian Groß made the cut, with Senne Lynen und Leonardo Bittencourt starting on the bench. Nick Woltemade was back in the squad.
Werder’s starting XI: Pavlenka - Jung, Stark, Pieper, Stage, Ducksch, Weiser, Füllkrug, Schmid Friedl and Groß.
Bench: Zetterer - Kownacki, Bittencourt, Lynen, Njinmah, Rapp, Gruev, Woltemade and Opitz.
First-half highlights:
9th minute: Füllkrug sets up Weiser, who looks to find Ducksch, yet the ball is intercepted by a Freiburg player.
16th minute: Weiser moves the ball down the right wing and attempts to play it into the path of Ducksch, but he’s once again denied by the opposition. The subsequent corner lands in the path of Weiser, who gets a quick shot off, but it flies over the crossbar.
18th minute: Stage plays the ball out to Jung on the left, who looks for and finds Weiser in the midfield. His shot isn’t powerful enough and is handled easily by Atubolu, but Werder are creating more and more chances.
23rd minute: Sallai has the first real chance of the game, which Pavlenka denies magnificently, not once, but TWICE, as Grifo follows up the rebound. An insane display from Pavlas!
28th minute: Werder counter quickly, with Füllkrug and Ducksch storming through the Freiburg half. The cross into the path of Jung is just too heavy and he just can’t reach it in time.
35th minute: Now it’s Freiburg’s turn. Three consecutive shots are blocked by the Green-Whites, with the hosts clamouring for a handball, but referee Brand allows play to continue.
45th minute: Weiser is awarded a free kick from a good position after carrying the ball for most of the length of the pitch, which Ducksch sends clear over the crossbar.
Second-half highlights:
51st minute: Stage pounces upon the rebound from Schmid’s missed shot, but just can’t get a good enough connection it.
61st minute: PAVLENKA! Our number one shows his quality once again with yet another double save, denying Freiburg the opening goal.
64th minute: Werder’s first corner is denied, yet they win another, which lands perfectly into the path of Füllkrug, whose shot on goal is blocked. The third corner is also unsuccessful, as Stage can’t find the target with his attempt.
74th minute: Freiburg’s recent substitute Gregoritsch moves up the pitch past several Werder players, but is called offside by the referee.
76th minute: Gregoritsch again, but this time from a corner. He hits the ball over the goal.
82nd minute: By this point, Freiburg are dominating the game, particularly thanks to Gregoritsch, who brought a new lease of life to the home side. Werder stay compact in their defence.
90th minute: Pavlenka has no chance of saving Weißhaupt’s shot, which luckily grazes the crossbar. The subsequent corner was good, but too imprecise. Werder need to hold fast in order to take something from this game.
90th minute + 6: Freiburg score. Philipp secures the win for SC in the dying seconds.
90th minute + 8: Werder have run out of time and lose to SC Freiburg after a last-minute winner.
Summary: Werder dominated the first half and created better chances, but just couldn’t put any of them away. Freiburg took their time getting into the game, but became increasingly stronger throughout. Their new-found energy and goal from Philipp gave the home side the win they deserved.
