15.30 kickoffs: Freiburg hang on to upset Rose's Dortmund, Nmecha ensures Wolfsburg comeback
A sold-out crowd at Freiburg's old Schwarzwald-Station willed their team to a 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund in round two of the 2021/22 Bundesliga's first major upset.
In a somewhat familiar story, a BVB side that lorded over 75 percent possession just couldn't locate enough creativity in the final third.
Construction on their new venue not quite completed yet, SC Freiburg fans were able to take in a match at the old Schwarzwald-Stadion am Dreisam after all. A maximum-allowed capacity crowd of just over 10,000 watched their team find the back of the net three times (inclusive an own goal) on Saturday afternoon. The final 2-1 scoreline still gave Freiburg all three points.
In a somewhat familiar story, a BVB side that lorded over 75 percent possession just couldn't locate enough creativity in the final third.
Dortmund remained far from full strength. BVB trainer Marco Rose brought returnees Emré Can, Raphaël Guerreiro, Julian Brandt, and Mats Hummels with him south to to Breisgau. Only Thomas Meunier remained behind. All four returning actors nevertheless began the match on the bench. The lone change from Tuesday's Super Cup saw Donyell Malen start alongside Erling Haaland in place of Youssoufa Moukoko.
Vincenzo Grifo put the hosts ahead early. The Pforzheim native struck a positively gorgeous laser of a free-kick from 20 meters out in the 6th. The visiting Westphalians responded to falling behind serviceably enough, creating plenty of chances over the next half hour. Jude Bellingham came closest to equalizing on a pair of opportunities. The young Englishman did head an effort onto the post in the 32nd.
Despite some mandatory drinks breaks, both teams showed signs of wilt on what was a very hot day in Breigau. Freiburg's Woo-Yeong Jong spurned a gilt-edged chance to double his team's advantage shortly after Bellingham's hit of the post, but matters slowed up significantly thereafter. Play improved once both teams refreshed during the break.
Nicolas Höfler initiated a splendid team counter-attacking sequence with a strip of Bellingham eight minutes after the restart. Jeong and Lucas Höler were involved in the subsequent sequence that ultimately saw Roland Sallai put Freiburg up 2-0 with a deft finish. Six minutes later, Yannik Keitel accidentally turned a low Felix Passlack cross into his own net to pull one back for the guests.
Rose began to pour on the substitutes, but unfortunately an uptick in imagination didn't follow them. If anything, the BVB attacks became less and less creative. The home supporters loudly cheered every last defensive clearance and the hosts hung on to hand Marco Rose his first defeat in charge of die Schwarzgelben.
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga's 15:30 kickoffs, Wolfsburg were able overcome a 0-1 deficit with two goals in the final 15 minutes against Hertha BSC in Berlin. Lukas Nmecha opened his Bundesliga account with the game-winning goal off the bench. Over in Nordrhein-westfalen, VfL Bochum blanked last week's surprise Mainz 2-0. An excellent finish from newcomer Sebastian Polter sealed the home victory.
Ten-man Bielefeld were able to hang on for a 1-1 draw in their visit to Fürth. Lead strikers Fabian Klos and Branimir Hrgota traded goals in the deadlock. Frankfurt Augsburg also ended in stalemate. The Hessian hosts racked up a 5-to-1 chance advantage, but ultimately couldn't tally in the 0-0 draw.