For supporters of both Freiburg and Frankfurt, news that Borussia Dortmund had taken an early lead against a Holstein Kiel side who had also been reduced to 10 men raised the stakes.
A Dortmund win would likely mean that one of these sides would miss out on the top four, and if this game ended level, it would’ve been Freiburg consigned to the Europa League.
It was perhaps a little unsurprising given the stakes that the first half-hour was largely tepid, with both sides scared to overcommit in the early stages.
The touchpaper was lit just before the half-hour mark, though, and it was the hosts rejoicing. There was an element of irony in the opening goal, as after moving the advertising boards closer to the pitch in an attempt to nullify the threat of Frankfurt’s long throws, Freiburg’s opener came from just that.
Philipp Lienhart hurled the ball into the area, his centre-back partner Matthias Ginter flicked the ball on, and Ritsu Doan volleyed home at the far post.
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Frankfurt’s hand was forced at that point, and they came out on the offensive soon after falling behind, twice coming close to levelling when Hugo Ekitike forced two fine saves out of Noah Atubolu.
Freiburg couldn’t get their advantage into the break, though, conceding an equaliser in comical circumstances on the stroke of half-time. Ansgar Knauff flicked the ball around the corner, and when Lienhart took a wild swing and a miss, Knauff latched onto his own flick to fire the ball into the corner.
Die Adler were in the ascendancy after the break, and they hammered home their advantage just after the hour mark when Rasmus Kristensen’s strike from distance arrowed in off the post past a desperate Atubolu dive.
Freiburg had it all to do from that point, and mission improbable became mission impossible just minutes later. A penalty box melee ended with Ellyes Skhiri turning the ball onto the post, where it bounced back, hit Johan Manzambi, and trickled over the line.
It was always likely to be a tough ask for Freiburg to come back from that deficit, knowing they needed to win the game to dislodge Frankfurt from the top four.
It ultimately proved to be an insurmountable mountain for the hosts, who will have to settle for a spot in the Europa League instead, despite spending the last few weeks in the top four. Frankfurt end the Bundesliga season in third, with that serving as their first top-four finish in the top flight since 1992/93.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Rasmus Kristensen (Eintracht Frankfurt)
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