With a draw against FSV Mainz 05, SC Freiburg retained its European Cup ambitions. By winning points, Mainz are leaving the relegation zone for the first time since matchday 2.
At the end of the 30th matchday, SC Freiburg and FSV Mainz 05 played a 1-1 draw on Sunday evening (April 21, 2024). The early lead by SC striker Michael Gregoritsch (6th minute) was equalized by Jonathan Burkardt in front of 34,300 spectators before the break (40th). Freiburg is still waiting for its second home win of the second half of the season, and Mainz is even waiting for its first away win of the season. “With a bit of luck you’ll win this game, with a bit of bad luck you’ll lose it,” said goalscorer Gregoritsch, summing up the emotional state after the fair draw.
With 40 points, Freiburg, seventh in the table, still has the chance to qualify for international business. Mainz draws level with VfL Bochum on points with 27 points and climbs into a non-relegation zone due to the better goal difference. “If you haven’t lost five games and won three of them, then you can understand that there is a very positive mood right now,” said Burkardt at the ARD microphone after the game.
Gregoritsch gives Freiburg a perfect start
“We haven’t won away from home for a long time. But at some point every series breaks,” FSV coach Bo Henriksen said confidently before the game. And after four unbeaten games, Mainz traveled to Breisgau with a big chest. That’s why the Mainz coach used the same starting eleven as in the strong 4-1 win against Hoffenheim. SC coach Christian Streich made a change. Lucas Höler was allowed to start from the start for Roland Sallai, who received his fifth yellow card in the 1-0 win in Darmstadt.
In the first minutes of the game, Mainz’s increased self-confidence became clear. The guests kept the ball in their own ranks and Freiburg rarely got in the way. It was all the more surprising that the SC was the first to celebrate: at the first opportunity to counterattack, Ritsu Doan crossed from the right in front of the Mainz goal and perfectly onto the head of striker Gregoritsch, who from six meters over the storming keeper Robin Zentner made it 1: 0 lead for Freiburg. It was the Austrian’s 7th goal of the season.
Zentner saves Mainz from a two-goal deficit
However, Mainz were relatively unimpressed by the early deficit. They let the ball run safely through the ranks and repeatedly appeared dangerously in front of Noah Atubolu’s goal. Andreas Hanche-Olsen (17th), Dominik Kohr (19th) and Nadiem Amiri (24th minute) could have made it 1-1 for FSV. Almost nothing came from Freiburg in this phase; they were deep in their own half and waiting for a counterattack.
The next opportunity arose for the sports club in the 29th minute. Höler passed it across to Gregoritsch, who, free-standing, shot flat to the right. However, goalkeeper Zentner reacted quickly and directed the shot around the right post with his left foot. That could have been 2-0 for Freiburg. “You have to praise the goalkeeper at a moment like this, he holds it well,” said Gregoritsch about Zentner’s save.
Burkardt with the Mainz deserved equalizer
Until then, Mainz had failed to turn its dominance into something countable. Five minutes before the break they were rewarded: Caci was served by Nadiem Amiri on the right wing. The Frenchman, in turn, brought the ball flat into the middle to Burkardt, who prevailed against everyone from Freiburg and turned it into the far corner with his right (40th). The deserved equalizer for Mainz, who had invested significantly more in the first half. “It’s fun right now, the balls are falling in and please let it continue like this,” said the Mainz goalscorer, expressing his wishes for the next games.
Gregoritsch misses another SC lead
The second half started much less lively than the first. Mainz dominated the game, Freiburg was waiting for mistakes. After ten minutes, Christian Streich brought two fresh players into the game: Jordy Makengo came on for captain Christian Günter, and Vincenzo Grifo was replaced by Merlin Röhl. And Röhl had a good move shortly after his substitution when he fed Gregoritsch as he ran into the penalty area. His shot from twelve meters just missed the goal (58th). It was the next good opportunity for the 30-year-old to score.
The hosts were now much better in the game, they pushed Mainz back into their own half and had another opportunity five minutes later with a header from Lukas Kübler. Mainz was completely off offensively in this phase. Henriksen reacted and brought on Karim Onisiwo for the tired Brajan Gruda, who had ended his 322-day drought without a goal against Hoffenheim. But the Austrian couldn’t really put himself in the spotlight at first. Both teams seemed satisfied with the division of points ten minutes before the end and no longer applied themselves with final determination. And so it remained a deserved 1-1 draw.
Freiburg against Wolfsburg, Mainz in a relegation duel against Cologne
SC Freiburg has another home game next week when VfL Wolfsburg travels to Breisgau (Saturday, March 27th at 3:30 p.m.). FSV Mainz 05 welcomes second-to-last 1. FC Köln in a relegation duel (Sunday, April 28th at 5:30 p.m.).