Five goals and 18 shots lift Freiburg past Mönchengladbach

Freiburg turn control into a five-goal victory

SC Freiburg defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach 5-0 at Europa-Park Stadion on Saturday, September 12, with a 2-0 lead at half-time. The result keeps Freiburg second in the Bundesliga standings on six points from two games, while Mönchengladbach remain 17th with no points from two matches.

Engelhardt and Matanović strike before the break

Freiburg took the lead in the 23rd minute. Yannick Engelhardt finished after Derry Lionel Scherhant provided the assist. Six minutes later, Igor Matanović doubled the advantage, with Matthias Ginter creating the goal. Freiburg entered the interval two goals ahead and had established a clear platform for the second half.

Mönchengladbach’s task became more difficult in the 52nd minute when Tim Kleindienst was shown a red card. He had already received a yellow card in the 13th minute. The visitors also saw Kevin Diks booked in the opening half, adding to their disciplinary problems.

Late goals complete Freiburg’s emphatic finish

Matanović scored again in the 77th minute, assisted by Jordy Makengo, before leaving the pitch for Lucas Höler one minute later. Engelhardt then added his second goal in the 79th minute, with Ginter supplying his second assist of the match. Maximilian Eggestein completed the scoring in the 86th minute. Freiburg also introduced Vincenzo Grifo, Keisuke Goto and Lucas Höler during the closing stages, while Mönchengladbach made three changes across the match.

Statistics underline Freiburg’s control

The scoreline reflected a dominant Freiburg display. They held 60% possession and completed 464 accurate passes from 521 total, compared with Mönchengladbach’s 268 accurate passes from 335. Freiburg also led 18-4 in total shots, including nine shots on goal to none for the visitors. Their 12 shots inside the box and six outside it showed sustained attacking pressure, while Mönchengladbach managed three inside the box and one outside.

Freiburg won the corner count 6-2 and forced four goalkeeper saves. Mönchengladbach committed 16 fouls to Freiburg’s seven and finished with one red card. The numbers therefore support the five-goal margin rather than suggesting an evenly balanced contest.

Engelhardt leads the individual performances

Yannick Engelhardt was the standout player by match rating, receiving 9.9 after 90 minutes. His two goals and three shots on target drove Freiburg’s decisive attacking output. Matanović also made a major contribution with two goals in 78 minutes, while Ginter recorded two assists and two key passes. Freiburg entered the match after two wins, and this victory extended their winning start; Mönchengladbach’s two pre-match losses were followed by another defeat.