UEL: Freiburg Earns Point Against Bologna in 1-1 Europa League Draw

Bologna and Freiburg play out thrilling 1-1 draw in Europa League

Bologna and Freiburg played out an exciting 1-1 draw in the Europa League, with Lukasz Skorupski making crucial saves for Bologna and Junior Adamu scoring a penalty for Freiburg.

Freiburg was awarded a penalty after a VAR review showed Santiago Castro handling the ball in the box...

Bologna and Freiburg played out an exciting 1-1 draw at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara on Matchday 2 of the UEFA Europa League. Both teams created scoring opportunities, with Freiburg extending their streak of matches with both teams scoring to 14 out of their last 17 games.

The match began positively for Bologna, with Santiago Castro having a promising chance in the opening 20 minutes. Despite being sent clear by a clever pass from Riccardo Orsolini, Castro's shot from an awkward angle hit the side-netting. Freiburg responded well, testing Bologna's goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski with shots from Johan Manzambi and Philipp Lienhart.

Bologna took the lead just before halftime when Orsolini scored, capitalizing on a defensive error by Freiburg's Philipp Lienhart. However, the lead was short-lived, as Freiburg was awarded a penalty after a VAR review showed Santiago Castro handling the ball in the box. Junior Adamu scored the penalty, sending Skorupski the wrong way.

Freiburg pushed forward, creating scoring opportunities, but Lukasz Skorupski made crucial saves the day with two sharp stops on Johan Manzambi and Philipp Lienhart in quick succession. Despite the pressure, Freiburg's defense held firm initially.

On the 30th-minute mark, Bologna took the lead when Riccardo Orsolini scored, capitalizing on a defensive lapse by Freiburg. A hopeful low ball into the box from Jens Odgaard was mishandled by Philipp Lienhart, and Noah Atubolu failed to hold Nicolò Cambiaghi's direct shot, allowing Orsolini to tap in the rebound.

The match ultimately ended 1-1, with Freiburg equalizing through a penalty kick converted by Junior Adamu after Santiago Castro was penalized for handball in the box. Lukasz Skorupski was also booked for dissent.

Bologna's strong performance was put to the test by referee Nenad Minakovic's tendency to award penalties or show red cards in his last three UEL matches. True to form, a dramatic turn of events unfolded early in the game. Lukasz Skorupski made an impressive save from Derry Scherhant's header at the end of a corner, but the VAR review revealed a crucial detail - Santiago Castro had handled the ball inside the box moments before, resulting in a penalty for Freiburg.

Freiburg was awarded a penalty after a VAR review showed Santiago Castro handling the ball in the box. Junior Adamu stepped up to take the penalty, sending Lukasz Skorupski the wrong way and scoring with a well-placed shot into the bottom-left corner. This marked Adamu's first goal in the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League campaign.

The penalty gave Freiburg renewed energy and confidence. Skorupski was again called upon to make a crucial save, this time denying Freiburg's Jan-Niklas Beste with a sharp reaction to prevent a goal directly from an inswinging corner near the three-quarter mark.

Lukasz Skorupski's impressive performance earned him potential MVP consideration. He made crucial saves from Derry Scherhant's header and Johan Manzambi's through-ball, and then denied Beste's follow-up effort, showcasing his exceptional goalkeeping skills.

Honours even on #UEL matchday 2 ⚖️#WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/TnF2zsMlD1

— Bologna FC 1909 (@BolognaFC1909en) October 2, 2025

Match Analysis

The 1-1 draw was a classic game of two halves, with both teams creating scoring opportunities. Freiburg demonstrated their resilience in European competition, having lost only one of their last six UEL group stage matches. Bologna, despite dropping two points, can take comfort in their strong home record, having lost just two of their 32 previous European matches.

Key Stats

Possession: Bologna dominated possession with 52%, while Freiburg had 48%

Shots: Freiburg had 10 shots, with 5 on target, while Bologna had 9 shots, with 3 on target

Yellow Cards: Both teams received 2 yellow cards each

Recent Form: Freiburg has scored in each of their last 16 matches