Coach Christian Streich quickly disappeared into the dressing room, the fans cheered the players with loud chants despite the defeat. After a weak first half, an improvement in the second half was not enough: SC Freiburg suffered a narrow defeat in their competitive debut against a club from England. The Baden Bundesliga club lost 1:2 (0:1) to West Ham United in the second group game of the Europa League on Thursday. Lucas Paquetá (8th minute) and Nayef Aguerd (66th) scored for the previous season’s Conference League winners, who had to do without away fans due to a UEFA sanction. Roland Sallai (49th) made it 1-1.
“We didn’t start the game well and played relatively timidly. In the second half we performed how we wanted to perform. But then unfortunately we get a standard goal, which is incredibly bitter,” said Philipp Lienhart on RTL+.
West Ham now leads Group A with six points, Freiburg still has three points. In the difficult league away game against German champions FC Bayern Munich on Sunday (5.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on DAZN), the SC will have to improve again. “Let’s put the defeat behind us now and then attack again at the weekend,” said Lienhart.
The Freiburg team seemed extremely nervous in the early stages and found themselves in trouble on several occasions. Paquetá took the lead for the visitors, with German international Thilo Kehrer defending on the left. SC goalkeeper Noah Atubolu was still there for the Brazilian’s header, but was unable to parry it. Shortly later, the young keeper, who again appeared more uncertain than in previous games, directed a shot from Mohammed Kudus somewhat unconventionally onto the post (12th). Then Paquetá scored again – but this time from an offside position, the goal did not count (15th).
It wasn’t until around half an hour that the Baden team really got into the game. They now made fewer mistakes and inaccuracies, but remained harmless offensively. This also applied to the Austrian Junior Adamu, who was brought from Salzburg in the summer, initially injured and now called into the starting line-up for the first time.
In the previous weeks, the SC had already struggled to create big chances from the game. The two goals in the 2-0 league win against FC Augsburg last Sunday were scored from a penalty and a corner.
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Streich reacted at the break, bringing on the lively Ritsu Doan for Adamu – and thus apparently sent the right signal. The hosts now appeared more determined and Sallai used the first attack to equalize. Shortly later, Kiliann Sildillia headed the ball onto the guest goal post, then Lucas Höler chased it over from a few meters (55th). As a result, the Freiburg team also missed out on some, some of them valuable, opportunities.
Right in the middle of Freiburg’s best phase, Aguerd scored from a corner to make it 2-1 for the Londoners, SC goalkeeper Atubolu was very unfortunate. West Ham extended their impressive record to 16 wins in their last 17 European Cup games.
