Highlights

camera-photo

Full-time: Freiburg 2-0 Cologne

Freiburg make it three wins on the bounce in the Bundesliga after really stepping up in the final 30 minutes following a red card for Colgone. Michael Gregoritsch and Roland Sallai struck the decisive goals.
Full-time
90'
+ 5

Sallai seals the win

It was coming! Gregoritsch picks out Roland Sallai with a cross from the left that the Hungarian nods straight into the net.
90'
+ 5
Roland Sallai
Goal probability
information
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
7 %
Distance to Goal
information
Distance to Goal
The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.
10.6 m
90'
+ 4

Substitution

90'
+ 3

Furious Freiburg attacking

The hosts have really stepped up after Cologne were reduced to ten men, with over 20 efforts fired by Freiburg.
Goal attempts
17off target
5on target
6off target
1on target
90'
+ 2

Sallai strikes the post

The second goal does just not want to go in...
90'

Six additional minutes indicated

Can Freiburg land another goal? They are really pushing for one.
90'

All Freiburg

Merlin Röhl has an effort turned behind for a corner before Maximilian Eggestein has two drives blocked and Gregoritsch fires over.
90'

Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes

information
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
86'

Sallai stopped

Yet another save from Schwäbe to deny Roland Sallai from close range after he was played through in the penalty area.
85'

Gregoritsch denied

Freiburg are starting to attack at will with a nice move on the edge of the box seeing Merlin Röhl lay the ball across to Michael Gregoritsch to strike. Marvin Schwäbe saves his drive.
82'

Röhl wide

Merlin Röhl races to meet a neat ball threaded behind the defence and snaps his effort wide to the left of the target.
80'

Freiburg pushing for a second

Roland Sallai sends another couple of testing crosses into the box - with Merlin Röhl sending a header just wide.
camera-photo

1-0 specialist

Remarkably, Michael Gregoritsch has scored the lone goal of Freiburg's past two Bundesliga matches (won 1-0 away at Mainz and away at Wolfsburg). He is on course for a hat-trick of sorts today!
77'

Gregoritsch gets treatment

The goalscorer collides with an opponent and limps away after some treatment to his calf on the pitch. He will try to play on.
72'

Gregoritsch gets the breakthrough!

Freiburg take the lead with substitute Michael Gregoritsch striking in his third successive Bundesliga game. Roland Sallai floated a great cross from the left that Nicolas Höfler turned on goal. After Marvin Schwäbe parried it out, Gregoritsch was then able to pounce on a loose ball in the goalmouth.
Goal probability
information
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
80 %
Distance to Goal
information
Distance to Goal
The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.
6.12 m
68'

Almost in from Uth

The ten men of Cologne almost snatch a goal! Linton Maina charges down the right with a great burst and cuts it accross for Mark Uth, who slips the ball just the wrong side of the post from a superb position.
66'

Attacking changes for Freiburg

The hosts have upped their attacking intensity since the Cologne sending off. The home fans sense the chance to win it, and two fresh attackers are now brought on in Sallai and Gregoritsch.
62'

Cologne down to ten men!

Chabot slides to bring Lucas Höler down when Freiburg break clear on a quick attack. A second yellow card results, and the visitors now face a tough task to hold onto this clean sheet with ten men.
61'

Triple change for Cologne

Steffen Baumgart reshuffles the Billy Goats' pack with three fresh pairs of legs. It has been a battling performance by the visitors so far - can the new additions add some spark?
61'

Substitution

59'

Where has the Freiburg firepower gone?

The hosts haven't registered a shot since the 33rd minute of play - with Cologne having both efforts in the second half so far.
57'

Kainz booked

The Cologne captain trips an opponent to stop a break and is shown a yellow card.
53'

Fine debut for Finkgräfe

Nobody has won more challenges so far than the 19-year-old Cologne left-back.
Duels won
7
7
Merlin Röhl Max Finkgräfe
48'

Kainz fires wide

The Cologne captain smashes just wide on the break. There is a VAR check for a potential Freiburg penalty at the other end, but nothing is given.
48'
Video Assistant RefereeVideo Assistant Referee
SituationNo penalty
ReviewFoul?
DecisionNo penalty
46'

The second half starts

The hosts get us back underway.
Kick-off!
camera-photo

Half-time: Freiburg 0-0 Cologne

Both sides have huffed and puffed, showing just how much they want the points, but neither team has offered enough attacking edge yet to land a breakthrough.
Half-time
45'
+ 4

Cologne corner

Florian Kainz curls it away from the goal nicely enough, but nobody can meet it. Freiburg immediately break, but Ritsu Dōan is stopped in his tracks before he can shoot.
45'

Six additional minutes indicated

Either side would love a breakthrough just before the interval.
42'

Dōan crosses

Ritsu Dōan cracks a ball in from the right that he intended for Lucas Höler, but it heads straight out of play.
camera-photo

Tight encounter

There have been a couple of chances for Freiburg, with Cologne's effort for Thielmann remaining the best yet. Otherwise the defences have been on top.
34'

Dōan down

The Japanese attacker goes down in the box - but no penalty is awarded.
33'

Grifo again

There he is once more - receiving the ball again on the left corner of the box, he moves inside and targets the top corner, but hits it off-target.
32'

Grifo looking lively

The Italian has hit three of his side's seven shots so far.
Shots
3
1
Vincenzo Grifo Jan Thielmann
30'

Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes

information
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
1.
Jan Thielmann
Jan Thielmann33.13km/h
2.
Merlin Röhl
Merlin Röhl32.71km/h
3.
Timo Hübers
Timo Hübers30.80km/h
29'

Grifo aims for top corner

A swift Freiburg attack takes the ball to the winger on the edge of the penalty area and he eyes the top corner with a decent effort - but Marvin Schwäbe leaps to stop it with a great save.
26'

Waldschmidt into the wall

Cologne win a free-kick in a central position 20 metres out. Luca Waldschmidt steps up but hits his effort straight into the wall.
22'

Grifo free-kick

The Italian set-piece master delivers a free-kick from the left into the area, but it is turned straight out by the wall for a throw-in.
20'

Advantage Cologne?

information
xGoals
The xGoals value of a club is calculated from the sum of all goal probabilities (goals and shots on goal) of that team. During a match, it’s easy to see whether the club is performing better than expected (goals > xGoals) - or maybe even higher (xGoals > goals).
Freiburg have hit the most shots so far, but the Thielmann chance is clearly rated as the best yet by the xGoals model.
xGoals
0
0.11
0.46
0
Goals
18'

Back playing again

The interruption hopefully won't change the flow too much after an energetic start from both sides.
17'

Break in play

There has been no play for the past few minutes while the pitch is cleared of some items thrown by the crowd.
11'

Röhl has an effort

Freiburg attack soon after that Cologne chance in a fairly lively opening - Röhl sends his shot wide.
10'

Cologne pressing

They have the fewest goals in the Bundesliga so far - ten - yet the visitors are showing attacking ambition. Luca Waldschmidt puts in a decent cross for Jan Thielmann, but he can't quite bring the ball down in time to set up any more than a tame shot from close range.
5'

Dōan has an effort

The Japanese winger cracks a shot that Jeff Chabot blocks and turns behind for a corner - that Vincenzo Grifo sends over the pack of players gathered in the box.
1'

Off we go!

Cologne kick off in their blue away kit - and ping a ball forward for Davie Selke right away, but Noah Atubolu gathers.
Kick-off!

15 minutes to kick off

The stadium is filling up nicely with the locals braving the winter weather to come out and support their team at home for one last time before Christmas.
0:25
camera-professional-play-symbol

Home players warming up

The Freiburg players enter the field - with goalkeeper Noah Atubolu out first.
camera-photo

More on that Freiburg team

Christian Streich makes two changes from the starting XI in Freiburg's UEFA Europa League tie at West Ham on Thursday. Merlin Röhl (pictured) and Lucas Höler are brought into the attack for Michael Gregoritsch and Roland Sallai. Only seven of the permitted nine substitutes are named due to a number of injury problems in the squad.
camera-photo

More on that Cologne team

Steffen Baumgart makes four changes to the side that started the 0-0 draw at home to Mainz last weekend. In come Davie Selke (pictured), Florian Kainz and Benno Schmitz, while 19-year-old defender Max Finkgräfe makes his first ever Bundesliga start at left-back.
0:07
camera-professional-play-symbol

All ready in Freiburg

The Europa Park Stadion is looking spick and span ahead of Freiburg's final home match of the year.

Freiburg starting XI

Atubolu - Sildillia, Ginter, Gulde, Makengo - Eggestein, Höfler – Dōan, Röhl, Grifo (c) – Höler

Freiburg subs

Müller, Kübler, Weißhaupt, Keitel, Sallai, Adamu, Gregoritsch

Cologne starting XI

Schwäbe - Schmitz, Hübers, Chabot, Finkgräfe - Martel, Ljubicic - Thielmann, Waldschmidt, Kainz (c) – Selke

Cologne subs

Köbbing, Heintz, Kilian, Carstensen, Huseinbašić, Maina, Uth, Tigges, Dietz

Streich's view on Cologne

After watching his side go down to West Ham United in the Europa League on Thursday, Freiburg boss Christian Streich wasn't moved to speak on the Cologne game but the 58-year-old did suggest that his team would lift themselves for the Matchday 15 encounter. Attacker Vincenzo Grifo, meanwhile, said that Freiburg were in for a "tough fight" on Sunday, adding that the Billy-Goats, "...are behind [in the standings] but they have quality."
camera-photo

Baumgart's view on Freiburg

"Freiburg are very solid and in my view the most dangerous team from set pieces. They know how they want to build up, are aggressive going forward and have lots of experience."
camera-photo

Win exclusive prizes with our Advent calendar!

The Bundesliga Advent Calendar gives you the chance to win lots of great prizes every day from 1 December to 24 December 2023. Simply register here to be in the draw for tickets, jerseys and much, much more!

Freiburg chasing double trio

Freiburg have won their last two games 1-0. They have not won three league games in a row this season, or kept three successive clean sheets this calendar year.
camera-photo

Probable line-ups

Who’s set to play this weekend? Who’s going to miss out? Keep up to date with all the latest team news right here!
camera-professional-play-symbol

Watch: Remembering Cologne and Freiburg's seven-goal thriller in the snow

Freiburg staged a remarkable turnaround from 3-0 down in the Cologne snow in December 2017.
2:03
camera-professional-play-symbol

Watch: Cologne 0-1 Freiburg - previous meeting

Ritsu Doan scored the only goal of the game as Freiburg consolidated their place in the top four with a battling win in Cologne back in April.
camera-professional-play-symbol

Watch: Cologne 0-0 Mainz - highlights

Cologne remain above the automatic drop zone by a single point after their draw with 17th-placed Mainz.
2:03
camera-professional-play-symbol

Watch: Wolfsburg 0-1 Freiburg - highlights

Michael Gregoritsch scored the only goal of the game as Freiburg produced a smash-and-grab win in Wolfsburg to keep on the tails of the European chasers. 
camera-professional-play-symbol

Hello and welcome!

Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of this Matchday 15 fixture between Freiburg and Köln.