After the lead: SC Freiburg is running out of strength in Augsburg

Sports After Leadership

SC Freiburg is running out of steam in Augsburg

Status: 25.02.2024 | Reading time: 3 minutes

SC Freiburg remained winless in the Bundesliga for the fifth time in a row. Three days after reaching the round of 16 of the Europa League, the Breisgauer team lost in Augsburg despite being ahead. In the end the pressure was too great and the battery was empty.

Only 72 hours after the highly emotional round of 16 in the Europa League, an ultimately weak SC Freiburg suffered a defeat against its favorite opponent FC Augsburg in everyday league play. Coach Christian Streich, weakened by a flu-like infection, saw his team lose 2-1 after a 1-0 half-time lead on Sunday evening. Defender Felix Uduokhai (72nd minute) and substitute Arne Engels (81st) turned the game around with their goals for FCA, who ran energetically after the break and who jumped to eleventh place in the Bundesliga table with their first home win in 2024 made.

“We were the better team for 90 minutes, it was only a matter of time before we made it 1-1 and after that we knew that we could turn the game around,” said Ermedin Demirovic: “We want to keep going “And then we can look further up,” said the Augsburg attacker.

“You can’t just put away 120 minutes on Thursday,” said Freiburg’s Christian Günter: “We tried everything, threw everything in, but we have to do a better job of defending against the goals we conceded, even if we are tired. We would have liked to win the league again.”

Back in the starting line-up for the first time after a long injury: Freiburg’s Christian Günter in action against Augsburg’s Ermedin Demirovic

Source: dpa/Tom Weller

Vincenzo Grifo gave the guests the lead in the 19th minute with a penalty kick. For a long time it looked like Freiburg’s seventh win in a row against FCA. After the 120-minute show of strength against RC Lens, in which Freiburg were able to turn a 0-2 deficit into a 3-2 after extra time on Thursday evening, the guests ran out of steam too early in front of 28,894 spectators in the Augsburg Arena empty. The result was the fifth Bundesliga game without a win in a row and the tenth of the season. The Breisgauers have already lost more times in the Bundesliga in 2023/24 than in the entire previous season.

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“You could see that Augsburg were pressing and we were very deep. We did not relieve ourselves after leaving a lot of grains on Thursday. After the 1-1 draw at the latest, we realized that Augsburg wanted to win here today,” said Grifo: “But we were leading here and could have taken one or even three points. Even if Augsburg deserved it to some extent.”

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The opening goal was a gift from the hosts because FCA professional Fredrik Jensen impetuously hit Grifo on the foot in the penalty area. There was no real danger in the scene. Grifo coldly converted into the left corner of the goal. Streich had to replace Lukas Kübler, who injured his thigh, in defense with Matthias Ginter before the break.

Augsburg could have taken the game in a different direction early on. Iago hit the post in the 3rd minute on a pass from Ruben Vargas – that was bad luck! Coach Jess Thorup saw his team predominantly moving forward, often driven by the agile Vargas. What was missing was a successful conclusion. A Vargas free kick went over the goal (44′). Philipp Tietz missed a volley (50′). Too many crosses and corners fizzled out without any effect.

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But then the Augsburg team rewarded themselves after SC goalkeeper Noah Atubolo held strong several times. Uduokhai scored after a saved Tietz shot. And Engels scored after great work from Ermedin Demirovic. Arne Maier hit the post and it would have been 3-1 very late.