Werder Bremen 1-2 Freiburg
Goals: 1-0 Philipp 46’ (assist: Bittencourt), 1-1 Sallai 67’ (assist: Höler), 1-2 Höler 71’ (assist: Sallai)

Despite having recently knocked Bayern Munich out of the DFB Cup, Freiburg came to the Weserstadion on a run of just one win in six league games. As such, they began the match four points outside the top four as they chased a historic maiden Champions League qualification. Werder themselves were winless in five, down in 12th. It was perhaps unsurprising, then, that the first half was a tense and rather untidy affair. Freiburg youth product Maximilian Philipp – in the side for injured division top scorer Niclas Füllkrug – saw a deflected effort go wide. At the other end, set-piece specialist Vincenzo Grifo forced the only save of the half with a free-kick that bounced awkwardly in front of Jiri Pavlenka, but was well saved by the Czech goalkeeper. Four bookings in the opening 45 minutes summed up the cagey nature of things, including for Maximilian Eggestein – on the books at Bremen for a decade – on his first return to the Weserstadion - and Sallai, who will also miss the next game against Schalke for five yellow cards.

The first 60 seconds of the second half then saw more action than the entire first 45 minutes. Freiburg were claiming a penalty when a Grifo shot from the edge of the box was blocked. Werder didn’t hang about and wait, launching the ball up field. Leonardo Bittencourt drew in the defenders before squaring for Philipp to roll home on his first start for Die Grünweißen. The ex-Freiburg man then came close to a stunning second on the hour mark, meeting Mitchell Weiser’s cross with an overhead kick that drew an equally brilliant reaction stop out of Mark Flekken from close range. It appeared to spark the visitors back to life as Sallai smashed in a Höler nod-down in the box to level proceedings. The pair then reversed roles moments later to put Freiburg ahead for the first time, the striker flicking the Hungary international’s cross into the far top corner. A return to winning ways keeps Die Breisgauer just a point off fourth. Werder are not entirely safe yet, only eight points above the bottom three with six games to go.

SVW Bremen SV Werder Bremen - SCF Freiburg Sport-Club Freiburg

Freiburg keep top-four hopes alive