“Leipzig were in very good form today, but we also played well. We did several things right during the first half, but weren’t able to counter well. I’m pleased with the discipline and order we showed up to the 60th minute. It’s difficult to take anything off Leipzig when they are in such strong form,” Christian Streich said following the game. “It was an interesting game, Freiburg defended extremely well during the first half. The goal to make it 1-0 was the opener we needed and inthe end, we deservedly won, even if we did need some patience today,” RBL head coach Julian Nagelsmann said.
 
“Never change a winning team” was how SCF went into the game, with Streich naming the same starting XI that began in last weekend’s 2-1 win in Leverkusen. As they did last weekend, Freiburg lined up in a 4-4-2 to start the game.
 
Following their midweek DFB-Pokal quarterfinal match against Wolfsburg (2-0 win), Leipzig made several changes to their starting XI. Tyler Adams, Christopher Nkunku, Alexander Sörloth and Amadou Haidara moved into Leipzig’s 3-5-2 line up in place of Marcel Sabitzer (yellow-card suspension), Willi Orban (broken hand) and Marcel Halstenberg (knock).
 
Evenly-matched at the start
 
Both teams were cautious in the opening minutes, putting each other under pressure in midfield but not leaving many gaps. An evenly-matched start to the game saw both sides maintain possession and keep a compact shape, with few chances on goal at either end.
 
The visitors recorded the first shot on goal, as Alexander Sörloth picked up a misplaced pass from Nicolas Höfler, but his shot from 13 meters out landed squarely in the hands of SC goalkeeper Florian Müller (22’).
 
Leipzig - who came in on the backs of a five-game winning run - gradually began to dominate possession as the minutes went on, but Freiburg were able to keep pace while trying to land blows of their own.
 
Conceding the opener just before the break
 
Sport-Club managed to keep the visitors at bay until the 41st minute, when Florian Müller got a little carried away with a risky pass out to Baptiste Santamaria, who was unable to control the ball under pressure. The ball fell to Yussuf Poulsen in the box and the Dane squared unselfishly for Christopher Nkunku to tap into an empty net. It was an irritating blemish in a first-half that had all the markings of a classic 0-0. Instead, Freiburg headed into the break behind.
 
After the change of ends, the home side were faced with a visiting team that countered with more pace and bite than they had in the first. Freiburg didn’t have any immediate chances of their own.
 
Leipzig pull further ahead
 
Instead it was the guests who built on the lead with their first shot of the half. Kevin Kampl robbed the ball from Freiburg in midfield when Freiburg had plenty of bodies forward and found Christopher Nkunku with a great pass. Nkunku gave it to Poulsen, who played it square again in front of Müller. This time it was Alexander Sorloth who was the beneficiary and the Norwegian made no mistake.
 
It may have been a fairly even second half, but the chances kept coming for Leipzig and the third goal arrived in due course. Substitute Hee Chan Hwang saw a shot well saved by Florian Müller (73’), before Emil Forsberg beat the Freiburg ‘keeper with a well-placed effort from the edge of the box (80’).
 
Freiburg refused to give up and created a good opportunity for Roland Sallai (82’), but the Breisgauer were unable to make a dent in the scoreline. RB Leipzig celebrated their third consecutive 3-0 win away from home, while Freiburg lost at home for the first time following three successive home wins against the guests.
 
Despite the defeat, SC are still in the top half of the table. Next up is a trip to face 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday, 13th March (15:30 CET).