At SC Freiburg there are no goals in the second game in a row in the Bundesliga, but coach Christian Streich’s team can start the two-week break contentedly. In the southwest duel against TSG Hoffenheim, they remain unbeaten in the seventh game in all competitions.
SC Freiburg and his coach Christian Streich are taking their winning streak with them into the two-week break in the Bundesliga. After the 0-0 draw in the rainy Baden duel at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, the Europa League participant has now been unbeaten in seven games in all competitions and has settled into third place in the table behind 1. FC Union Berlin and Borussia Dortmund. Head coach André Breitenreiter’s TSG team is one point behind their national rivals in fourth place.
At the end of the seventh game day in front of 24,233 spectators in Sinsheim, however, Freiburg missed their fourth away win of the season just like Hoffenheim missed their fourth home win.
Three days after 3-0 in the Europa League at Olympiakos Piraeus, Streich (“We can substitute”) relied on the same starting XI around captain Christian Günter as last time at the Greek champions and in the 0-0 draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach. At Hoffenheim, ex-Leipziger Angelino returned to the left wing, also because Robert Skov was injured.
In a lively early phase, the two goalkeepers were able to excel: Freiburg goalkeeper Mark Flekken saved twice against Grischa Prömel (11th/20th). TSG keeper Oliver Baumann prevented an early deficit against Ritsu Doan and his former club (16th). It was the 32-year-old’s 400th Bundesliga game – only Bayern aces Manuel Neuer (472) and Thomas Müller (421) have more Bundesliga appearances among the current players. In the end, Baumann kept a clean sheet for the 100th time.
The people of Breisgau shot eagerly at every opportunity: when Daniel Kofi Kyereh and Günter tried, the ball hissed just past the Hoffenheim goal. Again and again, the Freiburg gave the impression that they know their running paths very well and thus gained more and more weight in midfield. Hoffenheim’s play designer Christoph Baumgartner had to fall far behind again and again in order to get a chance.
A check by Günter against the Austrian international caused a stir early in the second half, but only resulted in a yellow card for the SC captain. Both teams continued to fight an intense battle of attrition, but hardly created any chances.
