Ritsu Doan impresses as Freiburg escape Kaiserslautern
SC Freiburg barely scrape past 2. Bundesliga side Kaiserslautern in the first round of the DFB-Pokal.
Freiburg controlled possession throughout, as Kaiserslautern found it difficult to create clear-cut chances when they did win back the ball. On the other hand, Freiburg's frustration grew as they game wore on with FCK's tight defense that closed down passing lanes.
Surprisingly, the Red Devils were the first to break through, as Marlon Ritter's shot near the halfway line caught Freiburg keeper Mark Flekken off guard and gave Kaiserslautern a 1-0 lead at halftime. But Freiburg finally broke through their back-line, as Hungarian international Roland Sallai tapped one home to tie the game in the 82nd minute.
One player in particular took over this game in extra time. Ritsu Doan drew a foul in a dangerous area outside the box and scored a super free-kick to give Freiburg the lead. The comeback was complete as Freiburg stole one to win 2-1 at Kaiserslautern, who's measly 3 shots on target were not enough.
Doan's first competitive match for Freiburg showed everyone why he's worth €8.5 million. In just the 1st minute of the game, Doan calmly collected the ball and sped through several defenders before drawing an immediate yellow card. Usually, Christian Stretch's new signings need some time before fully adapting to his system. This doesn't seem to be the case for the right-winger, as the 24-year-old is proving himself once again in his return to Germany.
This was a feisty affair, as several scuffles broke out throughout the match. The Red Devils put up a decent effort, but Freiburg's quality shown through in one of the marquee contests of this first round.