Red-hot Freiburg see off Jablonec in UEFA Conference League opener

Unbeaten Bundesliga leaders Freiburg got their UEFA Conference League campaign off to a winning start at home to Czechia's Jablonec on Thursday, with Vincenzo Grifo and Maximilian Eggestein among the goalscorers.

Freiburg 3-2 Jablonec 
Goals: 1-0 Grifo 15', 1-1 Rusek 29' (assist: Sláma), 2-1 Pavlović (OG) 53', 3-1 Eggestein (assist: Kübler) 65', 3-2 Kuol 90'+3

Freiburg went into this first league-phase encounter looking to continue the fine form that has seen them go eight games unbeaten to start the season, and they made an excellent start, Vincenzo Grifo scoring the opener in the 15th minute with a fantastic free-kick after Max Rosenfelder had been fouled just outside the box.

The hosts were in complete control and should have added to their lead, with Grifo and Cyriaque Irié going close, but it was the visitors who scored against the run of play, Antonín Rusek's deflected effort levelling things up for the Czechs in the 29th minute.

The hosts continued to dominate possession in the second half, and that translated into two further goals - Dušan Pavlović put through his own net for 2-1, before Eggestein thundered home his team's third.

Freiburg missed several subsequent chances prior to Garang Kuol snatching a late consolation goal for Jablonec. Up next for the Black Forest club in the Conference League is a tricky trip to Trabzonspor.

As it happened!

3 - 2

(0 - 0)

Freiburg

FINAL

Jablonec

Conference League
League phase, Matchday 1 League phase, Matchday 1 Europa-Park Stadion

Full-time: Freiburg 3-2 Jablonec

The final whistle goes, and Freiburg pick up all three points in their Conference League opener, continuing their good recent form. Grifo, a Pavlović own goal and Eggestein did the damage for the home side, who should really have won more comfortably. Some credit must go to the hard-working Czechs, who only threatened rarely but still managed to get on the scoresheet twice.

© Alex Grimm

Full-time

90'

+ 3

One back for Jablonec!

The visitors pull one back through Australian striker Kuol. Is it too little too late?

90'

+ 3

Garang Kuol

GOAL!

3:2

90'

+ 1

Five mins of added time

Five minutes to go in Freiburg, and it appears as if the home side are going to collect the three points, much to the delight of their fans.

90'

Grifo still lively

It might be the 90th minute, but Grifo, who's been excellent tonight, is still looking to sow chaos in the Jablonec box. On that occasion, his whipped-in cross flashes across the face of goal!

85'

Five mins to go

Will we see any additional goals at Europa-Park Stadion?

84'

Substitution

Jan Chramosta

Matěj Polidar

84'

Substitution

Philipp Treu

Lukas Kübler

84'

Into the closing stages

Jablonec appear to have given up the ghost at this juncture, and it's Freiburg who look more likely to add to their lead.

80'

Makengo close to a fourth

Makengo bursts through and tries to slot the ball home at the near post, but Hanus diverts the ball behind for a corner.

77'

Speedy caution

Hollý, only on the pitch for a minute, makes his way into the ref's book for a foul on Kübler.

77'

Yellow card

Dominik Hollý

76'

Substitution

Daniel Soucek

Richard Sedlácek

76'

Substitution

Dominik Hollý

Antonín Rusek

74'

Matanović shoots over

Freiburg continue to hunt for further goals: substitute Matanović has a shooting chance from just outside the box, but it flies well over the bar.

72'

Yellow card

Patrick Osterhage

71'

Substitution

Keisuke Goto

Cyriaque Irié

66'

Substitution

Sebastian Nebyla

Nelson Okeke

66'

Substitution

Saidou Alioum

Garang Kuol

And there's the third!

What a thunderbolt! Kübler lays the ball off to Eggestein, who blasts it home to give his team a two-goal cushion!

© Daniela Porcelli

65'

Maximilian Eggestein

GOAL!

3:1

63'

Yellow card

Nelson Okeke

62'

Ginter heads wide!

Ginter's header from Grifo's cross drops just wide!

59'

Substitution

Igor Matanović

Lucas Höler

59'

Substitution

Jordy Makengo

Christian Günter

Freiburg ahead again!

From the corner, Pavlović appears to knocks the ball into his own net - it's quickly cleared, but after a lengthy VAR check, the goal is awarded!

© IMAGO/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Bosco

53'

Dušan Pavlović (own goal)

GOAL!

2:1

53'

There's a VAR check ongoing...

...for a possible Freiburg goal.

53'

Eggestein tests Hanus!

Eggestein looks up and thumps a powerful effort goalwards that Hanus tips wide for a corner!

49'

Freiburg piling on the pressure (again)

Ginter sends a dangerous ball in from the right, but the home side can't take advantage. In the ensuing melee, Suzuki's shot is blocked.

46'

The ball is rolling again!

This Conference League match is back underway in Freiburg.

Kick-off!

Half-time: Freiburg 1-1 Jablonec

It's all-square at the break at Europa-Park Stadion - a scoreline Freiburg will be frustrated about, given how much they have dominated proceedings. Grifo put the hosts ahead with a gem of a free-kick, and it appeared at that point as if they would go on to score a few more. However, with their first meaningful attack of the night, Jablonec equalised in the 29th minute after Rusek's shot was deflected in via Ginter. An intriguing second period awaits!

© Daniela Porcelli

Half-time

45'

One min to play

We're going to have just one additional minute in Freiburg.

40'

Höler heads straight at Hanus

Höler gets on the end of Suzuki's cross, but his header isn't firm enough and Hanus is able to collect fairly comfortably.

36'

Hanus denies Grifo again

Grifo fires an effort goalwards from the left that Hanus can only block and the defence clears. We're back into the same kind of pattern we saw before the equaliser, with Freiburg peppering the visitors' goal from left and right.

Freiburg continue to push

The home side have reacted as one might expect to that equaliser, and continue to dominate possession, looking for openings down both flanks via Grifo and Irié.

© Daniela Porcelli

Jablonec equalise!

Completely against the run of play, and with their first shot of the match, Jablonec find a leveller! Sláma sets up Rusek, whose shot is deflected off Ginter into the back of the Freiburg net!

© IMAGO/Eibner-Pressefoto

29'

Antonín Rusek

GOAL!

1:1

26'

First half-chance for the Czechs

Alioum whips a good ball in from the right, but there are no takers for Jablonec - a warning for Freiburg that the visitors do offer some threat going forward.

23'

Visitors struggling

Jablonec have created very little so far, and have found themselves pinned back in their own half. They will likely need to make some tactical adjustments if they're to get anything out of this match.

19'

Grifo almost adds another

Freiburg are totally dominant right now, and Grifo almost makes it 2-0 with a wicked curling effort that Hanus does well to parry away to safety.

Freiburg take the lead!

It was certainly coming, and it's Grifo who gets the opener with a trademark free-kick from just outside the box! It's a beauty, and the home crowd responds appropriately to his strike.

© IMAGO/JOERAN STEINSIEK

15'

Vincenzo Grifo

GOAL!

1:0

14'

Yellow card

Nemanja Tekijaški

12'

Kübler off the bar!

Kübler's header from Irié's cross comes back off the crossbar! Surely just a matter of time here till the hosts find a breakthrough goal.

11'

Hanus saves Irié's attempt

Irié, who's everywhere right now, tries his luck from outside the box, but his shot doesn't have a huge amount of power in it and Hanus makes the save.

10'

No takers for Gunter's cross

Günter whips an inviting ball right across the face of goal, but it's got too much pace on it for any of his team-mates. Freiburg turning the screw early on!

7'

Close one!

Continuing to impress, Irié cuts inside and curls an effort towards the top left-hand corner. The crowd thinks it might be in for a second, but it grazes the top of the bar!

3'

Irié looking sharp early on

The Burkinabe winger has already gone on a couple of useful-looking runs down the right in the opening three minutes, and clearly the Jablonec defence will have to keep an eye on him.

And we're off!

Referee Malcevs of Latvia blows his whistle, and we're underway in Freiburg!

© IMAGO/JOERAN STEINSIEK

Kick-off!

About five mins till kick-off!

The atmosphere is building nicely at Europa-Park Stadion as the start of this Conference League match approaches.

More on that Jablonec team

Jablonec coach Kozel has made five alterations to the side that defeated Brno on Saturday, bringing in Sláma, Okeke, Alioum, Polidar and Rusek.

© IMAGO/Ondrej Deml

More on that Freiburg team

Julian Schuster has rotated heavily, making seven changes to the team that defeated Schake at the weekend. Kübler, Rosenfelder, Günter, Osterhage, Irié, Grifo and Höler come in to replace Treu, Lienhart, Makengo, Engelhardt and Matanovic (who sit on on the bench today), as well as the injured pair of Beste (carrying a knock) and Scherhant (muscle problems).

© Christian Kaspar-Bartke

Starting line-up: Jablonec

1

Jan Hanuš

20

Jirí Sláma

15

Dušan Pavlović

4

Nemanja Tekijaški

18

Martin Cedidla

6

Nelson Okeke

13

Richard Sedlácek

21

Matěj Polidar

17

Saidou Alioum

7

Vakhtang Tchanturishvili

9

Antonín Růsek

Jablonec subs

Mihelak, Maly, Novak, Nykrin, Soucek, Holly, Kuol, Nebyla, Zorvan, Chramosta

Starting line-up: Freiburg

Formation:4-5-1

1

Mio Backhaus

30

Christian Günter

28

Matthias Ginter

37

Max Rosenfelder

17

Lukas Kübler

32

Vincenzo Grifo

6

Patrick Osterhage

14

Yuito Suzuki

8

Maximilian Eggestein

22

Cyriaque Irié

9

Lucas Höler

Freiburg subs

Huth, Müller, Jung, Lienhart, Makengo, Treu, Engelhardt, Yamamoto, Zelic, Gotō, Matanović

Freiburg's unbeaten start

The Black Forest club have also claimed wins over Motherwell in their Conference League play-off and beat Fortuna Düsseldorf in the DFB Cup.

© Bundesliga

Play video

1:19

Watch: More from Schuster and Eggestein

Play video

3:10

Watch: Scherhant in flying form

Playing a starring role for Bundesliga leaders Freiburg and part of Jürgen Klopp's Germany revamp, life is pretty good for Derry Scherhant right now.

Luboš Kozel on facing Freiburg

"They're very strong in attack, so we have to make sure we defend well against them. Even that may not be enough, though. It'll come down to how well we do when we have the ball, and how well we win the ball back. We experienced something similar against Rangers, but Freiburg are even better."

© IMAGO/Romans Koksarov

Maximilian Eggestein on facing Jablonec

"We're really pleased to get the league phase under way. As was the case in the Europa League last season, we're up against some interesting teams. It's important we start our campaign with a home win."

© IMAGO/Grant Hubbs

Schuster on his 100th game in charge of Freiburg

"I didn't think I'd hit triple figures so quickly, but it says a lot about the past few years here. I'm very grateful to have the opportunity to coach this team and this special club. It gives me great joy."

© IMAGO/Arne Amberg

Julian Schuster on facing Jablonec

"They're a side who defend very well. They've conceded very few goals in the league. They bide their time before hitting you on the counter. Their [play-off] ties against Rangers reveal a lot about what it takes to get the better of them."

© IMAGO/Heiko Blatterspiel

No fresh injury woes

Apart from midfielder Florent Muslija, who remains sidelined with a ruptured cruciate knee ligament, Schuster will hope to have a fully fit squad to choose from against Jablonec on Thursday.

© IMAGO/Ulrich Hufnagel

'Credit to the players'

"It was intense, both physically and mentally," said Schuster, whose unbeaten side have picked up 13 points from a possible 15 so far in Germany's top flight. "What made the difference was the way we performed when things got tough. After Yuito Suzuki's red card, the lads played for Yuito and made it look like we still had 11 players on the pitch. Credit to them for getting all three points."

© IMAGO/Arne Amberg

Play video

2:03

Watch: Freiburg 2-1 Schalke - highlights

Keisuke Gotō scored a late winner as Julian Schuster's charges overcame the Royal Blues on Matchday 5 to move top of the Bundesliga, despite having Yuito Suzuki sent off.

Jablonec: The story so far

Jablonec also overcame Scottish opposition to reach the league phase, edging out Rangers on penalties in the play-offs after seeing off Varaždin and RFS in qualifying.

© IMAGO/Vit Cerny

Freiburg: The story so far

Europa League runners-up last season but seventh in the Bundesliga, Freiburg thrashed Motherwell 7-2 on aggregate in their Conference League play-off tie. The two legs form part of an eight-match unbeaten start to the season in all competitions, with Die Breisgauer winning seven of those games.

© WM Sport Media

Welcome!

Follow all the build-up and live action as Freiburg get their 2026/27 UEFA Conference League league phase campaign under way against Czechia's Jablonec on Thursday (kick-off: 9pm CEST).

About the clubs

Freiburg

Europa-Park Stadion