Borussia Dortmund showed a solid performance against SC Freiburg and clearly beat the Breisgauer team 3-0 (2-0) on Friday evening (09.02.24). Unfortunately, the SCF has to complain about the next injured person.
The hosts took their first chance to score. Donyell Malen put the Black and Yellows in front (16th) and increased the score in stoppage time (45th+7). At this point, Manuel Gulde was no longer in the Freiburg team after the studs of his shoe got caught in the grass in a duel and sustained a leg injury. The exact diagnosis is still pending, but at least Gulde was able to leave the field himself. Niclas Füllkrug made the final score 3-0 deep in the second half of the game with his tenth goal of the season (87th).
BVB caught up with VfB Stuttgart in third place on points, the Swabians host Mainz on Sunday, Freiburg remains in seventh place in the table for the time being.
Gulde: Streich gave the all-clear late on Friday evening
Christian Streich assumes that Manuel Gulde was not injured too badly. The soon-to-be 33-year-old central defender is doing well “not that bad”said Freiburg’s football coach after the Bundesliga game on DAZN: “He heard it crack. But the way it looks now, we hope that the inner ligament is pulled. We hope that the inner ligament isn’t torn either. We firmly believe that it’s not a torn cruciate ligament.”
BVB effective, but without shine
Dortmund, who had changed four positions compared to the draw in Heidenheim (Kobel, Reus, Can and Ryerson for Meyer, Moukoko, Özcan and Meunier), took control from the start of the game and acted without shine, but with decent efficiency: Marcel Sabitzer served Niclas Füllkrug half left, who saw the Malen who was running with him. His powerful shot hit an unsustainable right angle.
The Füllkrug-Malen combination was – after the now obligatory protests against an investor’s entry into German professional football) also responsible for the second goal: On a counterattack, Füllkrug had the free choice from a central position, to the left to Jamie Bynoe-Gittens or to the right to Malen to play. The international chose Malen, who shot the ball irresistibly into the far corner. A little later, Julian Ryerson missed the clear lead before the break (45th + 11th).
Offensively weak Freiburg and their strong keeper Noah Atubolu
The guests were also at a losing position in the second half of the game. Christian Streich’s team managed next to nothing offensively, but fortunately for the SCF, Noah Atubolu was between the posts of the Freiburg goal. He had to show everything shortly after the break: first with a shot from a tight angle by Bynoe-Gittens (47th), a short time later against Füllkrug, which the good director Sabitzer, the outstanding Malen and the passable comebacker Ryerson served precisely. Atubolu showed an outstanding lightning reflex.
After that, despite Freiburg’s defensive work decreasing, top-class opportunities remained in short supply – apart from a crash into the post by left-back Ian Maatsen. But then birthday boy Füllkrug also scored with a header after a beautiful cross from Maatsen from the left side.
The substitution of Spaniard Mateu Morey, who came onto the pitch in the 88th minute after 30 months of injury, caused great celebration. Jadon Sancho also received a few more minutes from coach Edin Terzic.
BVB now in Wolfsburg, Freiburg against Eintracht
On matchday 22, Borussia Dortmund will play at VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday (02/17/24, 3:30 p.m.), while Freiburg will host Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday (3:30 p.m.).
