UEFA Conference League: Evergreen Grifo helps in-form Freiburg to winning start
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Vincenzo Grifo scored yet another direct free-kick as SC Freiburg recorded a 3-2 victory over Jablonec in their first-ever league phase UEFA Conference League fixture. Including the qualifying campaign tie against Motherwell, the Breisgau side have now won each of their last 13 European games at Europa-Park Stadion.
With the congested fixture list, Julian Schuster decided to make seven changes from the side that started the 2-1 win over Schalke on Sunday. The goalkeeper Mio Backhaus, Matthias Ginter, Max Eggestein and Yuito Suzuki, who will miss matchday 6 fixture in Leverkusen, were the only ones to keep their places.
Cyriaque Irié and Lucas Kübler rattled the crossbar with the first two big chances for the hosts. Freiburg's dominant start continued with Max Rosenfelder's mazy dribble winning a free-kick from a promising position in the 15th minute. From 18 meters out, Grifo gave Jablonec's 38-year-old goalkeeper Jan Hanus no chance with a brilliant strike.
Freiburg's all-time top-scorer lost his starting berth to the new Germany international Derry Scherhant, but he was also instrumental in the winning goal against Schalke. The hosts had chances to double their lead in the next ten minutes, but the Czechia side drew level thanks to their first chance of the game.
Ginter's telling deflection from Antonin Rusek's effort left Backhaus with little chance in Freiburg's goal. Grifo and Irié had more opportunities for last season's Europa League finalists before the half-time break.
The visitors created the first chance after the restart before Freiburg regained momentum almost immediately. Hanus had to make a couple of good saves to deny Ginter and Eggestein before a moment that needed a lengthy VAR check.
The Latvian referee Edgars Maļcevs eventually awarded the goal after Dusan Pavlovic's attempt at clearance ended in an own-goal. Jablonec expected a foul on Hanus from Grifo's corner-kick, but the shot-stopper went down after clattering with his own teammate.
Ten minutes later, Eggestein sealed the three points with a powerful shot from outside the box. The tireless midfielder scored in three of the last four Bundesliga encounters for the league leaders. Substitute Jordy Makengo nearly extended Freiburg's lead ten minutes before time shortly after making a crucial block at the other end.
Former Newcastle United striker Garang Kuol scored deep in injury-time, but the hosts held on to start their European league phase with three points in Schuster's 100th game in charge of the club.
Freiburg are still unbeaten in all competitions as their 2-2 draw in Frankfurt before the international break was the only time they failed to win since the start of the season. They will now face two tricky fixtures away from home against Bayer Leverkusen and AS Monaco.
