Bundesliga: Five-Star Freiburg Hit Gladbach For Five To Go Top

Freiburg celebrates goal

Gladbach bottom after drubbing by Freiburg. Eggestein, Engelhardt and Matanovic all score twice in Freiburg 5-0 rout.

Freiburg go top of Bundesliga with thumping of Gladbach...

Freiburg ran riot with a 5-0 victory over Gladbach at home. The win marked their best start to a top-flight campaign and moved them to the summit of the Bundesliga, at least for now.

Freiburg arrived with a 100% record in all competitions this season and started on the front foot, coming close to an early opener inside the first 15 minutes.  

Philipp Treu’s shot was a routine save for Gladbach goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas, but he was tested more moments later when he made a crucial stop to deny Yannik Engelhardt and force a corner.  

The breakthrough came from a set piece. Scherhant’s corner wasn’t dealt with by Nicolas, allowing Engelhardt, a former Gladbach loanee, to nod home unchallenged.

Freiburg made it 2-0 a few minutes later as Igor Matanovic converted Matthias Ginter’s pass first-time, with his shot deflecting in off the post.  

Yuito Suzuki nearly made it 3-0 after being found by his goalkeeper, but Nicolas stood firm. The second half brought no relief for Gladbach, and things got worse early on when captain Tim Kleindienst picked up a second yellow for a heavy challenge and was sent off.  

Freiburg looked comfortable in control for 20 minutes despite having 11 vs 10, passing sideways without much threat. Then a quickfire double blew the game open as Matanovic and Engelhardt both got their second goals.

Matanovic headed in Jordy Makengo’s cross to make it 3-0, and less than two minutes later Engelhardt struck from outside the box to seal the rout.  

Captain Maximilian Eggestein capped the rout with a fifth, his second goal in as many games, and sent the home crowd wild. Freiburg may not stay top for long, but after winning all six games this season and scoring 22 goals, they’ll be dreaming of a first top-four finish since 1995.  

Die Fohlen are rock bottom, and have now gone three games without a win to start the campaign for two years running.