Freiburg hit five as Engelhardt and Matanovic sink Mönchengladbach

SC Freiburg beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 5-0 at Europa-Park Stadion on Saturday, scoring twice before half-time and three times after the break. The win puts Freiburg on 6 points from 2 games, level with league leader FC Augsburg, while Mönchengladbach remain on 0 points.

How it happened

Yannick Engelhardt opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, converting a move supplied by Derry Lionel Scherhant. Igor Matanovic doubled the advantage at 29 minutes after Matthias Ginter’s assist, leaving Freiburg 2-0 ahead at the interval. Matanovic struck again in the 77th minute, this time from Jordy Makengo’s pass, before Engelhardt added his second two minutes later with Ginter again providing the final ball. Maximilian Eggestein completed the scoring in the 86th minute. Mönchengladbach finished with 1 red card and 1 yellow card.

The numbers

Freiburg controlled 60% of possession and completed 464 accurate passes from 521 attempts, compared with Mönchengladbach’s 268 accurate passes from 335. The attacking gap was sharper: Freiburg registered 18 total shots, including 12 inside the box, while Mönchengladbach managed 4 shots and only 3 inside the area. Freiburg also put 9 efforts on target; their opponents recorded 0.

Who decided it

Engelhardt produced the standout individual display, receiving a match rating of 9.9 after 90 minutes. His 2 goals came from 3 shots on target, and he also recorded 1 tackle. Matanovic posted a 9.2 rating in 78 minutes with 2 goals, while Ginter’s 2 assists and 2 key passes earned him a 9.0 rating.

Why it matters

Freiburg are ranked #2 in the Bundesliga with a 2W 0D 0L record and a goal difference of 4. Mönchengladbach sit #17 after 2 defeats, with a goal difference of -4 and a 6-point gap to Freiburg.