Borussia Mönchengladbach’s winning run came to end as they were upset 1-0 by Freiburg at Dreisamstadion in match day eight of the Bundesliga. With the result, Borussia sits two points shy of league leader Bayern München, whilst Freiburg moves out of the relegation zone ahead of Kaiserslautern.

In their trip south, Borussia manager Lucien Favre was without Filip Daems and summoned Oscar Wendt into the starting eleven, the Swedish internationals first appearance since moving from København this past June. As per prior weeks, Borussia was patient in their early stages in wait for countering opportunities but with their hosts trying to shore up the worst defending unit in the league chances were moderate. However at the nineteenth minute Borussia ‘keeper Marc-André ter Stegen saw his 300 plus minute streak of not surrendering a goal end as Johannes Flum accepted Julian Schuster’s provision and send a long distance effort, albeit with a highly fortuitous deflection off Thorben Marx, into the right corner of the net. Borussia immediately went on the prowl for the leveller but Freiburg’s highly-promising twenty-one year old goalkeeper Oliver Baumann was in the finest of form as he stretched out fully to deny Thorben Marx.

Borussia came out with the vengeance after the break but the hosts culled advances in the final third quickly. With less than a half-hour remaining the Borussia tactician added Patrick Herrmann for Tony Jantschke, to be followed by Håvard Nordtveit for Thorben Marx soon thereafter. In search of the right mix Raúl Bobadilla entered the fray for Mike Hanke at the eighty-second minute and the River Plate product quickly had a chance to equalize but was foiled by Oliver Baumann. That storyline would prove to be the letter of the day as the young German U-21 international goalkeeper halted a last gasp effort by Marco Reus point-blank range to provide Freiburg the 1-0 victory.

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Werder Bremen continued their charge towards the European stage with a 4-0 devouring of relegation threatened SC Freiburg at the Weserstadion. With the victory, Thomas Schaaf’s side sits fifth in the Bundesliga table, only two behind Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the all important third place spot that earns a place in the Champions League, whilst Freiburg at seventeenth.

After the hosts showed attacking venom, Werder went out in front ten minutes shy of the break when Claudio Pizarro latch onto the ball from Naldo and sent it past visiting goalkeeper past Simon Pouplin. Chances were at a premium but Werder continued to make the best of them and the fifty-third minute, following a strong run by Claudio Pizzaro, Aaron Hunt sent the ball in from twelve metres. Three minutes late, the Peruvian striker effectively sent in Mesut Özil left wing cross to bring the score to 3-0. Ten minutes later, Mesut Özil, scored a highlight reel goal as he got past Mensur Mujdza before scoring from acute angle to bring the match to a 4-0 final score.

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Relegation threatened Freiburg lodged an important 1-0 victory over Mainz at the Badenova-Stadion. With the result, Robin Dutt’s side pull level in points with Hannover 96 in the final spot in the relegation zone, whilst Mainz sit at the ninth spot.

In a rematch of the top two sides of the Bundesliga second division last year, the hosts grabbed the 1-0 lead ten minutes into the day, as Johannes Flum accepted Papiss Cissé’s provision from the right and powered his effort from twenty-two metres into the net past ‘keeper Heinz Müller. Both sides maintained a well disciplined tactical stance and for much of the remaining half, the match was a box-to-box affair.

After the restart, chance were at a premium with Mainz’s best chance coming with just over twenty minutes remaining in regulation when Malik Fathi, on-loan from Spartak Moskva, sent a close range header over the crossbar. The visitors continued to probe for the equalizer and though the hosts missed a fine chance to build on the lead, Freiburg claimed the 1-0 victory.

Mainz returns to play next Saturday as they visit Nürnberg, whilst Freiburg travels to Sinsheim to face 1899 Hoffenheim.

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Bayern München rallied with two late goals to edge relegation threatened Freiburg 2-1 at the Allianz Arena. With the result, Bayern climbs back to the top of the Bundesliga table, two points above Schalke 04, whilst Freiburg sit in the second from the bottom spot.

From the opening whistle, the visitors deployed manager Robin Dutt’s tactical plan to perfection as they absorbed pressure and rarely allowed a serious effort on goal. At the thirty-first minute, the hosts were shocked as Cedric Makiadi accepted Yacine Abdessadki’s pass before driving the ball past Bayern ‘keeper Jörg Butt. Though Bayern went on the hunt for the leveller, through the balance of the half, they were met with a determined side and the match went to the break without further scoring.

The early stages after the break saw Bayern continuously bottled up and increasingly it looked like a major upset was in the making. With nineteen minutes remaining, Bayern manager Louis van Gaal summoned forgotten man Anatoliy Tymoschuk for Danijel Pranjić as they searched for needed inspiration. Finally, Bayern broke through with fourteen minutes left in regulation as following a handball just outside the area; Arjen Robben drilled a free kick into the net. Seven minutes later Arjen Robben scored the eventual winner from the spot after Ivica Banović was adjudged a penalty for bringing Thomas Müller down in the area. Through Freiburg fought gamely for the leveller, it was not forthcoming and Bayern claimed the 2-1 victory.

Both sides return to play next Saturday as Bayern München visits Eintracht Frankfurt at the Waldstadion, whilst Freiburg welcomes Mainz to Badenova-Stadion.

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Hannover 96 notched an important win in their fight to avoide relegation as they defeated Freiburg at the Badenova-Stadion. With the result Freiburg drop into the relegation zone at sixteenth in the Bundesliga table, whilst Hannover 96 leap fronts into the fifteenth a spot.

96 started as the clear aggressors but neither side the required finishing touch until the latter stages of the affair. Three minutes after the hour, 96 went in-front 1-0 as Élson, from the edge of the area, drill a poor clearance of Constant Djakpa’s cross into the corner of the net. Seven minutes later Yacine Abdessadki got the end of Julian Schuster’s provision before hammering the ball past Florian Fromlowitz to make it 1-1. However three minutes later, 96 had the goal they needed as Arnold Bruggink’s free kick was inadvertently turned into his own goal by Papiss Cisse to make the final score 2-1.

Both sides return to play on Saturday as Hannover 96 welcomes Eintracht Frankfurt to Niedersachsenstadion, whilst SC Freiburg visits Bayern München.

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Freiburg earned an important point in its relegation fight as they played Borussia Mönchengladbach to a 1-1 draw at Borussia-Park. With the result, Freiburg hold down the fifteenth spot of the Bundesliga table, two points above Nürnberg, whilst Borussia Mönchengladbach are at eleventh.

Behind the always-voracious support at Borussia-Park, Michael Frontzeck’s side dominated the proceedings early but with each turn of the screw, finishing was off. Shy of the half-hour Roberto Colautti was presented a top shelf chance to open the scoring, via Raúl Bobadilla’s provision but his effort was denied by Freiburg’s goalkeeper Simon Poupli. Despite controlling much of the run of the play, Borussia could not break through and the match went to the break without a score.

With the restart, the hosts were confidently pushing forward but as with the opening half, could not capitalize on their opportunites. After Simon Poupli dealt with a Raúl Bobadilla effort, Freiburg took the shocking 1-0 lead four minutes shy of the hour as Papiss Cissé headed in Felix Bastians’ cross from the left. Die Fohlen, charged back in search of the equalizer and justifiably with eighteen minutes remaining, Roel Brouwers headed Juan Arango’s cross to the back of the net. With the match even, Borussia were in the hunt for the winning mark and though Freiburg ‘keeper Simon Poupli was under siege for the remaining moments, they could not break through his goal again and the match ended 1-1 draw, honours even.

Both sides return to play next Saturday as Borussia Mönchengladbach faces Borussia Dortmund at Westfallenstadion, whilst Freiburg welcome free falling Hannover 96 to Dreisamstadion.

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Friedhelm Funkel’s Hertha Berlin continued its impressive charge to avoid relegation with a confident 3-0 victory over Freiburg at Badenova-Stadion. The once impossible idea of the Berliners avoiding relegation no longer seems so remote as they have no crept to within two points of Nürnberg and Hannover 96 in the final two spots of the Bundesliga table, whilst Freiburg are a further two points about at the fifteenth position.

Coming off their mid-week draw to Benfica in Europa League play, few would have blamed the Berliners if they were heavy legged. However, Friedhelm Funkel, who surely deserves high praise in what quickly resembles Hans Meyer’s masterful work with Borussia Mönchengladbach last year, had his forces ready to detonate the hosts. Launching forward from the start the Berliners were merciless and took the lead two minutes shy of the half-hour. Following a Theofanis Gekas effort that went astray, Adrián Ramos gave his side the lead as he sent in a close range rebound. At the thirty-eighth minute, Adrián Ramos and Cícero combined in a clever one-two that resulted in the latter doubling the Berliners lead.

At the re-start, Freiburg manager Robin Dutt ushered in Jonathan Jäger and Daniel Caligiuri in search of some much-needed attacking pulse. Those efforts were wasted as three minutes shy of the hour Cícero added his second goal of the day by volleying in a rebound of Theofanis Gekas effort. The Berliners were in clear control of the match and though they could not add to their lead, confidently strode forward to grab the full three points as the match ended 3-0 in their favour. With Hertha Berlin playing to upper table form since the start of the Rückrunde, it is appearing more likely the the capital city will not lose top-flight football next year.

Hertha Berlin return to play on Tuesday against Benfica in Europa League action before returning to domestic play on Sunday against 1899 Hoffenheim at the Olympiastadion. Freiburg’s own hopes to avoid relegation face the always-difficult test at Borussia-Park against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

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The once impossible of Eintracht Frankfurt earning a berth on the European stage grew a little closer as they struck late to defeat Freiburg 2-1 at Waldstadion. The victory pushes Eintracht level in points with Werder Bremen, a scant two points behind Borussia Dortmund in the final Europa League spot, whilst Freiburg teeter on the edge of the relegation zone at fifteenth place in the Bundesliga table.

Waldstadion was in full song to support for Eintracht but were shocked at the twenty-fifth minute when the visitors grabbed the lead. Robin Dutt’s side took at surprise lead as Eintracht goalkeeper Oka Nikolov did not handle Du Ri Cha’s cross properly by, to which Papiss Cissé turned in the rebound. Die Adler came storming back in search of the leveller and after an earlier effort was denied, Benjamin Köhler drilled a free kick five minutes shy of the break.

After the break, the attacking vision was coming from Eintracht but finishing was either off-course or thwarted by Freiburg’s skilful ‘keeper Simon Pouplin. Caio had two good opportunities come up empty and as the match entered the final minutes it looked like the affair was headed to a draw. However as regulation time wound down, Maik Franz’s long ball was flicked on by Alexander Meier to Halil Altıntop, who deftly chipped the ball into the net to give Eintracht Frankfurt the 2-1 victory.

Eintracht Frankfurt returns to play on Saturday in a crucial match as they visit Hamburger SV at the Volksparkstadion, whilst SC Freiburg welcomes Hertha Berlin to the Dreisamstadion on Sunday.

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Relegation threatened Freiburg gained an important point in their fight to avoid the drop by holding Schalke to a scoreless draw at Dreisamstadion. With the result, misses a golden chance to pull even with Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Bayern München at the top of the Bundesliga and hold down third, whilst Freiburg are at fifteenth, two points above Hannover 96.

Die Königsblauen, who have not been firing on all cylinders since the start of the Rückrunde, lack venom in the early going, with nary an attacking advance to note. Just past the half-hour, they came within a hushed whisper of breaking the deadlock as Kevin Kurányi headed Alexander Baumjohann’s cross off the past. Three minutes shy of the break, the hosts had their own opportunity fall short as Mohammadou Idrissou headed Julian Schuster’s free kick off the crossbar and the match went to the break deadlocked.

Two minutes after the re-start, controversy erupted as Marcelo Bordon’s header of Alexander Baumjohann’s ricocheted off the bar and over the line but was not ruled a goal. Schalke continued to press for the winner but Freiburg withstood their advances and in the last line of resort, goalkeeper Simon Pouplin was letter perfect as the match ended as a scoreless draw.

Schalke 04 returns to play on Wednesday as they visit VfL Osnabruck in the DFB Pokal before welcoming Köln in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday, whilst Freiburg faces Eintracht Frankfurt at the Waldstadion on the same day.

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Bayer 04 Leverkusen continued its charge toward its first Bundesliga crown with a confident 3-1 victory over Freiburg at the BayArena. With the result, Jupp Heynckes maintain their remarkable unbeaten run throughout campaign and climb back atop the Bundesliga table, two points off nearest challenger Bayern München, whilst Freiburg are just about Hannover 96 in the relegation zone.

Despite the score-line, the early stages of the match was worrisome for host Bayer 04 as Freiburg was bold going forward. After surviving an early scare that saw Freiburg keeper Simon Pouplin deny Stefan Kießling, they began to take the match to the league leaders. Robin Dutt’s side came close to opening the scoring with Cedric Makiadi being stopped by Bayer 04 ‘keeper Rene Adler from point-blank range and later the German international pulled Mohamadou Idrissou’s effort off the line. Die Werkself withstood the challenges and in rapid fire succession put the match out of reach before the break. Six minutes past the hour, in a splendid example of attacking pulse, Stefan Kießling linked the ball to Toni Kroos as he crept into the box. Off loading the ball to Tranquillo Barnetta on his right, the Swiss international sent a delicious cross from the right that Stefan Kießling headed in from six metres out. Not a minute later, budding star Eren Derdiyok latched onto an errant, poorly struck, clearance by the Freiburg keeper and buried the ball into the net from the edge of the area. The onslaught continued as three minutes later Sami Hyypiä, enjoying a renaissance in his career since departing Liverpool, headed in Toni Kroos’ corner from the left to give the hosts a comfortable 3-0 lead.

To their credit, Frieburg continued to fight the good fight after the re-start, though the deficit was a mountain too high to climb. The visitors restored a flicker of hope six minutes past the hour when Felix Bastians surged in from the left channel before sending the ball past Bayer 04 ‘keeper René Adler from an acute angle. Confidence billowed for the visitors with the marker as they surged forward but once again, René Adler culled those hopes and the match concluded without further incident as Bayer 04 Leverkusen grabbed a 3-1 victory.

Both sides return to play next Saturday as Bayer 04 Leverkusen visits VfL Bochum at the Ruhrstadion, whilst Freiburg welcomes fast-charging Schalke 04 to the Badenova-Stadion.

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