Eintracht Frankfurt 2-2 Freiburg: Eagles and Breisgau Brazilians share the spoils

Eintracht Frankfurt 2-2 Freiburg: Eagles and Breisgau Brazilians share the spoils in entertaining draw

Eintracht Frankfurt and SC Freiburg played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Deutsche Bank Park on Saturday, with both sides trading blows in an end-to-end Bundesliga encounter. Frankfurt twice took the lead, only for Freiburg to peg them back each time, ensuring the points were shared in a game that never lacked for excitement.

Dino Toppmöller’s Frankfurt side started the brighter, with their high pressing causing Freiburg problems from the off. Hugo Larsson, the Swedish international, gave the hosts the lead on 12 minutes when he latched onto a clever reverse pass from Mario Götze. The veteran midfielder’s vision and technique were on full display, and Larsson’s composed finish gave Collins no chance.

Freiburg, under the stewardship of Christian Streich, responded well. They equalised through Vincenzo Grifo, the Italian playmaker curling a delightful effort into the top corner from the edge of the area. Grifo has been Freiburg’s creative spark this season, and his goal was a reminder of his quality.

The pattern of the game continued into the second half. Frankfurt regained their lead when Randal Kolo Muani, making his return to the starting XI, powered past his marker and fired past Mark Flekken. The French forward’s physicality and direct running caused the Freiburg defence numerous issues throughout the 90 minutes.

But Freiburg weren’t to be denied. Their equaliser came on 73 minutes when Noah Atubolu, the young German striker, rose highest to meet a Grifo corner. His powerful header gave Kevin Trapp no chance, and it was no more than Freiburg deserved for their persistence and attacking intent.

The decisive moments came in the final 15 minutes when both sides had chances to win it. Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush went close with a curling effort, while Freiburg’s Maximillian Eggestein saw a header cleared off the line. In the end, a draw was probably a fair result, with both sides contributing to an entertaining spectacle.

In the Bundesliga table context, this draw keeps both sides firmly in the hunt for European qualification. Frankfurt, with their attacking talent, will feel they should have taken all three points. However, Freiburg’s resilience and never-say-die attitude were typified by their two goals, and they’ll be satisfied with a hard-earned point on the road.

For Frankfurt, the positives will be the return to form of Kolo Muani and the continued excellence of Götze in midfield. The negatives will be their inability to kill off the game when they had the chance. For Freiburg, the performance of Grifo and the impact of Atubolu from the bench will give Streich plenty of food for thought as he looks to rotate his squad in the coming weeks.

Report by Daniel Okoye, OneLightScore Senior Football Correspondent. Data source: OneLightScore platform. Image licence: Platform library.