SC Freiburg secured a hard-fought 2-1 Bundesliga victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach, with defender Matthias Ginter and forward Igor Matanović sealing crucial points for the hosts.
SC Freiburg secured a hard-fought 2-1 Bundesliga victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach at the Europa-Park-Stadion on February 22, 2026. Defender Matthias Ginter and forward Igor Matanović delivered the crucial goals, earning the hosts vital points against a resilient Gladbach side.
This pivotal Bundesliga clash pitted 8th-placed Freiburg, keen to bolster their European qualification push, against 15th-placed Gladbach. The visitors arrived in Freiburg under pressure, looking to break a worrying streak of poor results. Their form of LDDLD highlighted their urgent need for a turnaround.
The game began with a cautious approach from both sides, feeling each other out in the midfield battle. Borussia Mönchengladbach's Yannik Engelhardt received the first yellow card of the match in the 27th minute for a rough challenge. This early booking signaled the physical nature of the encounter.
Freiburg began to assert themselves, pressing higher and creating promising attacks. Their efforts were rewarded in the 38th minute when Matthias Ginter powerfully headed home. The experienced defender capitalized on a well-delivered set piece, sending the home crowd into raptures and giving Freiburg the lead.
As the teams headed into the break, Freiburg held a slender lead, having shown more attacking intent. Gladbach’s coach faced the challenge of inspiring a second-half resurgence, needing to find a way to penetrate the Freiburg defense.
The second half resumed with increased intensity, and Freiburg's J. Beste quickly earned a yellow card in the 51st minute. Gladbach made a triple substitution in the 62nd minute, bringing on H. Bolin, W. Mohya, and L. Ullrich to change the game's dynamic.
Despite the changes, Freiburg maintained their control and extended their advantage. In the 74th minute, Igor Matanović confidently slotted the ball past the goalkeeper, doubling the hosts' lead to 2-0. This seemed to put the match beyond doubt for Christian Streich's side.
Gladbach refused to surrender, mounting a spirited late comeback. Substitute Kevin Stöger, who came on in the 83rd minute, provided a key assist for Haris Tabaković. Tabaković expertly guided the ball into the net in the 85th minute, reducing the deficit to 2-1 and setting up a nervy finish.
While Borussia Mönchengladbach enjoyed significant ball possession, controlling 63% of the play and registering 12 total shots, Freiburg proved more efficient. The home side’s higher Expected Goals (xG) of 1.74 compared to Gladbach's 0.67 underscored their clinical edge. Gladbach goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas was a standout performer, making four crucial saves to keep his team in the contest.
This hard-earned 2-1 victory lifts SC Freiburg to 33 points, bolstering their position in the Bundesliga's upper half. For Borussia Mönchengladbach, despite a late goal, this defeat leaves them struggling at 15th, intensifying their battle against relegation in the German top flight.
