Igor Matanović completes Freiburg comeback against 10-man Hamburg
Freiburg secured a comeback victory over 10-man Hamburg thanks to a late Igor Matanović winner, after Vincenzo Grifo's penalty had cancelled out Luka Vušković's opener in a dramatic 2-1 win at the Europa-Park Stadion.
Freiburg 2-1 HamburgGoals: 0-1 Vušković 48’ (assist: Muheim), 1-1 Vincenzo Grifo 53’ (pen), 2-1 Matanović 83 (assist: Beste)Red card: Elfadli 51'
Julian Schuster's side came into the match unbeaten in their last 10 home games, winning seven, while the visitors arrived as the only Bundesliga team without an away win this season.
The hosts entered the match with the experience of 2,125 Bundesliga games in their starting line-up compared to Hamburg's mere 182, with Maximilian Eggestein making his 300th Bundesliga appearance and Schuster marking his 50th game as head coach of Freiburg.
Freiburg dominated the early exchanges, enjoying 62 percent possession in the first half. The home side came closest to breaking the deadlock in the ninth minute when Lukas Kübler struck the crossbar following a clever pass from Yuito Suzuki.
Lucas Höler then had a golden opportunity, but his effort from close range was brilliantly saved by Daniel Heuer Fernandes. Hamburg gradually grew into the game, with their best chance coming from a Fábio Vieira free-kick that was pushed away by Noah Atubolu.
The match burst into life after the break as Hamburg stunned the home crowd by taking the lead in the 48th minute. From a corner on the right, Miro Muheim delivered a perfect ball to the far post where Vušković rose highest to power a header past Atubolu. The ball crept over the line despite a desperate clearance attempt from a Freiburg defender, giving the Croatian his third Bundesliga goal and Hamburg a surprise advantage.
The visitors' joy was short-lived, however, as the match turned on its head just three minutes later. Daniel Elfadli, who had already been booked in the fourth minute, brought down Höler in the penalty area, earning himself a second yellow card and reducing Hamburg to 10 men. Grifo stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick, drilling it down the middle with enough power that it beat Heuer Fernandes despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to the ball.
Despite their numerical advantage, Freiburg found it difficult to break down Hamburg's resilient defence. Schuster made a double substitution in the 65th minute, bringing on Matanović and Patrick Osterhage for Höler and Grifo, followed by Niklas Beste for Philipp Treu in the 79th minute.
The changes proved inspired as Freiburg finally made their pressure count in the 83rd minute when Beste provided a perfect cut-back for Matanović, who finished clinically from close range to make it 2-1.
Man of the Match: Luka Vušković
Despite ending on the losing side, Hamburg's Vušković was voted Man of the Match following an impressive display. The 19-year-old Croatian defender not only scored his team's goal with a powerful header but also showed remarkable defensive resilience throughout.
Even after Hamburg were reduced to ten men, Vušković continued to make crucial interventions and showed maturity beyond his years. His aerial prowess was evident both defensively and offensively, making him a standout performer despite the defeat.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Freiburg 2.66 - Hamburg 0.51
Fastest player: Nicolas Capaldo (Hamburg), 34.03 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 0-1 by Luka Vušković (Hamburg), 8.6 percent
Most pressed player: Albert Sambi Lokonga (Hamburg), 14 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Nicolai Remberg (Hamburg), +1.11
Fantasy Heroes: Miro Muheim (Hamburg, 282 Points), Luka Vušković (Hamburg, 250 Points), Noah Atubolu (Freiburg, 248 Points)
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