It was a game of two pitches around the Europa-Park Stadion. The first 70-minute match (45 + 25 minutes) was held on the upper training pitch, with the second on the lower one. Freiburg’s rainy summer has forced a few creative solutions when it comes to pitch planning.

One upside of a training ground friendly is that you can hear the instructions loud and clear. HSV goalkeeper Daniel Peretz was particularly vocal, barking out commands in multiple languages. At the other end, SC captain Christian Günter took charge of the press, organising the forward line consisting of new signings Igor Matanovic, Yuito Suzuki and Derry Scherhant. Freiburg’s pressing paid off early on – just three minutes in, Eren Dinkci teed up Matanovic in the box, but his shot was blocked.

Philipp on target in unfamiliar role

HSV’s first big chance came via a free-kick just outside the box. Philipp Treu, standing in the wall, protected himself with his hands and referee Daniel Schlager pointed to the spot. New signing Yussuf Poulsen stepped up and fired low into the left corner to make it 1-0 (24’). Worse than the goal, though, was Treu’s injury shortly after. Following a foul, the right-back had to come off. Maximilian Philipp replaced him – in a role not typically his own.

SC struggled to create much after that, with HSV proving a combative opponent. Chances were few and far between until the very end of the first match. Johan Manzambi and Philipp spotted a rare gap in the HSV defence, and the makeshift full-back rounded the keeper to level the scores with the last action of the game. 

SC Freiburg team for the first game: Atubolu – Treu (27’ Philipp), Ginter, Lienhart, Günter – Dinkci, Höfler, Manzambi, Scherhant – Suzuki, Matanovic

Goals: 0-1 Poulsen (24’, penalty), 1-1 Philipp (69’)

Dream start in game two

While the first game ended with a goal, the second began with one. Just five minutes in, Lucas Höler received the ball from Maximilian Eggestein, kept his cool inside the box, squared for the arriving Florent Muslija, and the Kosovan international rifled home from 13 metres out.

HSV registered their first effort after 13 minutes when Otto Stange fired wide from the left channel following a pass from Rayan Philippe. Freiburg U23 player David Schopper then produced a crucial intervention to prevent Robert Glatzel from tapping in a Bakery Jatta cross.

The rain cleared, the sun came out – and the game began to drift a little as the first half wore on. Just before the break, keeper Florian Müller caused a moment of tension when he got caught in the turf with the ball at his feet but just managed to scramble it out for a corner.

Muslija racks up four goal involvements

SC got straight back into their stride after the restart and doubled their lead almost immediately. Niklas Beste and Lukas Kübler linked up down the right, and Kübler’s cross found Muslija at the far post. The 26-year-old then set up Patrick Osterhage, who drilled it into the bottom corner from 12 yards (52’).

Muslija was involved again nine minutes later – this time delivering a perfect cross from the left onto the head of Junior Adamu, who rose highest and nodded in from seven metres out (61’). And with just one minute left on the clock in this extended friendly, Muslija whipped in a free-kick for Höler to convert at the far post and wrap up the 4-0 scoreline (69’).

“I’m looking at the whole week, and I’m very pleased,” said Julian Schuster after the 140 minutes of action. “It was intense, the boys put in outstanding work, and that’s why I’m perfectly happy with how things went today. The goals were well worked, and there was a lot of what we want to see out on the pitch.”

SC Freiburg therefore maintained their unbeaten pre-season record. Up next is the final pre-season friendly at the Europa-Park Stadion against La Liga side CA Osasuna on Saturday, 9th August. 

SC Freiburg team for the second game: Müller – Kübler, Schopper, Jung, Makengo – Beste, Eggestein, Osterhage, Muslija – Höler, Adamu

Goals: 1-0 Muslija (5’), 2-0 Osterhage (52’), Adamu (61’), Höler (69’)

Referee: Daniel Schlager

Photo: SC Freiburg