The SC Freiburg has secured its place in the league phase of the UEFA Conference League following a 4–1 victory against Scottish club FC Motherwell, according to reports from Tagesschau and ZDFheute. Playing at home on Thursday, August 27, 2026, the Bundesliga side built upon a 3–1 win from the first leg in Scotland to capture a 7–2 aggregate triumph.
Early Advantage and First-Half Turbulence
Freiburg manager Julian Schuster rotated his squad heavily for the second leg, making seven changes to the starting eleven that defeated Fortuna Düsseldorf 5–1 in the DFB-Pokal first round. Only goalkeeper Mio Backhaus, defender Matthias Ginter, and midfielders Maximilian Eggestein and Yuito Suzuki retained their spots.
The tactical shift paid immediate dividends in the 6th minute. Maximilian Eggestein delivered a precise pass into space, releasing Derry Scherhant behind the Motherwell defense. With ample time and space inside the penalty area, the winger slotted a precise shot with his instep into the right corner to put Freiburg ahead.
Despite early dominance, Motherwell leveled the score against the run of play in the 22nd minute. Emmanuel Longelo unleashed a long-range shot that appeared routine, but the ball bounced awkwardly in front of goal, slipping through the hands of goalkeeper Mio Backhaus and into the net. Tagesschau noted that the strike marked Motherwell’s sole shot on target during the match.
Freiburg pressed for a response before halftime. Scherhant (29th) and Yuito Suzuki (33rd, 45.+3 minutes) missed subsequent chances, while Cyriaque Irié struck the crossbar in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Second-Half Dominance and Red Card
The momentum shifted decisively in Freiburg’s favor shortly after the hour mark. In the 57th minute, Motherwell defender Jake Girdwood-Reich received a red card and was sent off for a professional foul (ZDFheute noted a denial of a clear scoring opportunity).
With a man advantage, Freiburg capitalized immediately on set-pieces. Igor Matanovic headed home from a corner kick on the left flank in the 60th minute to restore the lead. Just three minutes later, Cyriaque Irié converted another left-sided corner to make it 3–1.
Substitute Lucas Höler hit the crossbar in the 67th minute before fellow substitute Keisuke Goto rounded off the scoring in the 85th minute, sealing the 4–1 scoreline on the night.
Post-Match Reactions and Managerial Assessment
“We had a super start to the game—just as we discussed and then implemented well,” manager Julian Schuster told SWR in post-match remarks reported by Tagesschau. “After that, there were a few unnecessary ball losses. The conceded goal was Motherwell’s only shot on goal in this match. But still, we mostly had control.”
Schuster acknowledged the psychological importance of clearing the initial European hurdle, stating, “One of our goals has been achieved with two convincing wins.”
Derry Scherhant emphasized the squad’s professional approach despite holding a two-goal lead from the first leg. “It was important that we didn’t rest on our laurels,” Scherhant said, as cited by ZDFheute.
Goalkeeper Situation and Upcoming Draw
The match unfolded amid ongoing roster adjustments for the Breisgau club. Goalkeeper Mio Backhaus started the fixture after arriving in the summer as an anticipated replacement for Noah Atubolu. According to SGE-Trainer Adi Hütter in comments reported by Tagesschau, Atubolu’s potential transfer to Eintracht Frankfurt is nearing completion, though neither club has issued a formal confirmation.
With qualification secured, Freiburg advances to the official UEFA Conference League league phase draw, scheduled for Friday in Monaco, with the opening fixtures of the competition set to begin on October 15, 2026.
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