Freiburg’s arena near the exhibition center may have less charm than the Dreisamstadion in which the SC used to play. For this she has a 2.4 megawatt solar system on the roof-and an advertisement that determines how many visitors traveled by bike. The sun was also shining against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, the solar cells glowed, the electricity flowed, the fans came in droves by bike. Only in the first half they quickly felt that their favorite kickers from South Baden wanted to pedal similarly, but this time relegated regularly before the opposing goal – in contrast to BVB.
After the first chances for Maximilian Beier and Daniel Svensson for Dortmund as well as Vincenco Grifo and Junior Adamu, who really took part in front of Georg Kobel’s goal (but was just offside), it was clear to Freiburg: it should be a game in which two clubs fight for a possible European Cupplatz. “We want to set needles, act aggressively,” said SC coach Julian Schuster shortly before kick-off.
Freiburg then acted quite aggressively, but Dortmund stabbed, through Karim Adeyemi, who opened the way to the goal with a fine trick himself and hit the short corner from an acute corner (14th). SC keeper Noah Atubolu was not to blame because the 22-year-old did not play because of a shoulder injury. His replacement Florian Müller was also powerless, against Adeyemi, and later also against Carney Chukwuemeka, who simply took off in front of Freiburg’s sixteen in the 51st minute. Philipp Lienhart falsified his shot unsustainable for Müller.
After that, the offensive game flowed leisurely like the Bächle in the city center, at least for the SC: Serhou Guirassy scored 3-0 for BVB, Jamie Gitten’s head. Freiburg’s honorary hit by Maximilian Eggestein came too late to fill the batteries again. And it remained the realization that after the 36th defeat of Freiburg in the 53rd game against the fear opponent Dortmund: solar energy alone is not enough against the club from the pot.
1. FC Heidenheim – Bayer 04 Leverkusen 0:1 (0:0), Tor: Emiliano Buendia (90.+1)
Somewhere on the way towards Ostalb, Bayer Leverkusen and Xabi Alonso must have lost the rest of their master self-confidence that they had saved from Bielefeld. As is well known, the German title holder was excreted from the DFB Cup during the week and the appearance at 1. FC Heidenheim was no better. Rather worse. Leverkusen, challenged by the victory of Bayern against Augsburg, had to win to keep the pressure in the table, but to win, at least sometimes they need goal opportunities, but they don’t even get Florian Wirtz for a long time without the still injured.
Heidenheim’s Benedikt Gimber had the best opportunity for the relegation candidate after 26 minutes, his shot from an acute angle touched the crossbar and post. The team from Frank Schmidt had more chances, but the harmlessness of Bayer 04 was even more astonishing: an Amine Adli shot came towards the goal, with a lot of benevolence also one from Granit Xhaka, that was in the first half. In the second half, Heidenheim was less dangerous, but Leverkusen was no longer, it became a really sad kick.
When everything really indicated a league-preliminary 0-0, Leverkusen remembered how they became unbeaten German champions: late goals. Substitute Emiliano Buendia somehow brought Kevin Müller into the goal in added time. Was the hit deserved? No. Wasn’t Xabi Alonso? Apparently. The Basque cheered, but in the knowledge that he had probably rarely won in his career.
VFL Bochum – VfB Stuttgart 0:4 (0:2), Tore: 0: 1 Jeff Chabot (8th), 0: 2 Ermedin Demirovic (11.), 0: 3 Ermedin Demirovic (48th), 0: 4 Ermedin Demirovic (85th)
Shortly before the game, one or the other fan could think that VfB Stuttgart would only focus on the DFB Cup and want to secure the qualification for the European Cup. Coach Sebastian Hoeneß exchanged a total of six players compared to the cup semi-final. The story also included that three of them should not have played because of a lock against VfL Bochum. Anyone who still doubted the seriousness of the Stuttgart Sieges intentions at second glance was taught better after eleven minutes at the latest. After a furious start, the Cannstatters placed 2-0. First the Stuttgart defender Jeff Chabot was not disturbed enough after a corner at the lead goal. Less than three minutes later, Medin Demirović was freely ahead of Timo Horn after a brilliant pass and gave the Bochum goalkeeper no chance.
The Malocher Club tried to find the game by duel. The chances continued to have the Stuttgart. Fabian Rieder almost lay down in the goal of Fabian Rieder with his arm. Shortly after the half-time break, the Stuttgart also extinguished the smallest Bochum hope for catching up. Again it was Demirović, who this time scored the goal in the best dusting manner. The Bochumers subsequently had a little more game control, but VfB played the lead with extremely serious down. Demirović hadn’t had enough and scored his first professional triangle pack with a copy of the 0: 3. VfB can again dream of the European Cup qualification in the Bundesliga due to the convincing victory.
RB Leipzig – TSG Hoffenheim 3:1 (2:1), Tore: 0: 1 Tom Bischof (11.), 1: 1 Benjamin Sesko (24.), 2: 1 standard ridle (43.), 3: 1 Yussuf Poulsen (84.)
“We deserved more,” said Leipzig’s new coach Zsolt Löw after the game, “You saw that everyone ran and fought.” And like: 25: 9 goal shots, Expected-Goals value of 1.81 for RB, 550: 266 passes played, 68 percent possession. This was on Wednesday in the DFB Cup semi-final lost with 1: 3 against VfB Stuttgart. Somehow the Saxons felt like winners, but only purely statistically. Against Hoffenheim it was clear after the cup: Löw now needs a victory so as not to get criticized. However, the Leipzig struck themselves, quickly fell 0: 1 behind, under a nice with the help of Peter Gulacsi. The RB goalkeeper played the ball into the feet of Hoffenheim’s Touré, whose pass Tom Bishop flights from almost 30 meters in the long corner of Gulacsi’s place of work.
After that, Leipzig showed why the club continues to fight for the Champions League places. Gulacsi was a strong backing in several situations, RB hit the standard and head (sesco), chest and leg (baku) as well as shot and margin (Poulsen). But the most beautiful scene of the game: After an hour, Leipzig’s Xavi Simons and Hoffenheims Andrej Kramaric united on the lawn, their tunnels had persisted. A chat, a smile, and the game went on.
FSV Mainz 05 – Holstein Kiel 1:1 (0:1), Tore: 0: 1 Alexander Bernhardsson (34.), 1: 1 Nelson Weiper (75.)
Mainz 05 still played the Champions League? A sentence that is covered by the facts of the table, but still reads as if he came from the football manager simulation. Against Kiel, the 05s missed a win in the third game, but this time there was also a lot of bad luck. On the one hand, Alexander Bernhardsson achieved an official dream goal for the Kiel leadership, a Schlenzer to the edge of the post and off into the goal. On the other hand, Frank Willenborg could also have whistled penalty when Holstein goalkeeper Thomas Dähne in the 60th minute on the one hand hit the ball, and on the other hand also cleared Jae-Sung Lee. Paul Nebel also hit the post before his long ball found substituted Nelson Weiper: the young striker scored the 1-1. Both teams fought for victory until the end, both of them were not enough. Mainz feels the breath of half the league, and even the bottom of the table Kiel again could have used the two additional points quite well.