FREIBURG (CONVERSEER) – Freiburg stretched their unbeaten run across all competitions to eight matches with a 2-0 Europa League victory over Dutch side Utrecht on Thursday.
Unmarked Yuiko Suzuki gave Freiburg a 20th-minute lead when Christian Günter laid the ball back to him from the left.
Freiburg remained dominant, with goalkeeper Vasilios Barkas tipping Suzuki’s blast over and Johan Mazambi’s shot hitting the underside of the crossbar and the inside left post without the ball going in.
The second goal eventually came in the 45th from a classy curling free-kick by Vincenzo Grifo into the top right corner.
Freiburg did not relent after the restart as Barkas needed another big save against Suzuki, and on the hour against Maximilian Eggestein. Utrecht improved but were eventually too harmless.
“We played very well in the first half. We created chances, and the two goals helped. Utrecht showed after the break what they are capable of, but I think it was a deserved victory,” Grifo told broadcasters RTL.
Freiburg ended a run of four draws in the Bundesliga and Europe and have seven points from three unbeaten Europa League matches. Utrecht remain on zero points.
