Super-sub Petersen keeps Freiburg on cusp of top four

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-2 Freiburg
Goals: 0-1 Grifo 27’ (assist: Sallai), 1-1 Kostic 54’ (assist: Hauge), 1-2 Petersen 69’ (assist: Günter)

While Frankfurt are in the midst of a UEFA Europa League quarter-final tie against Barcelona, Freiburg are looking to bring European football back to the Black Forest next season – and perhaps even the UEFA Champions League. Showing no signs of fatigue from their 1-1 draw with the Spaniards on Thursday, Eintracht started strong, with Rafael Borre causing mischief and also firing wide. Christian Günter led Freiburg’s first attack of note but saw his cutback thwarted by Germany teammate Kevin Trapp. However, there was little the goalkeeper could do as the visitors broke on 27 minutes. Roland Sallai drew in three defenders before unleashing Vincenzo Grifo, who took a touch to take Trapp out the game and slotted home his eighth of the season.

Frankfurt came back out with the bit between their teeth and thought they had equalised soon after the restart when Jesper Lindstrom was played in behind and he curled an effort past Mark Flekken – until the flag went up for offside. The disappointment of the home crowd only lasted a matter of moments, though, when Jens Petter Hauge took the ball on the halfway line and sent Filip Kostic away. He made no mistake to end his 14-game goal drought in the league. He almost had a second immediately after but flashed an effort wide of the far post. But the second goal would fall to Freiburg and their super-sub Petersen, who nodded in a Günter free-kick at the far post only moments after coming on. Frankfurt almost produced their own super-subs but Ajdin Hrustic struck the post and Daichi Kamada's finish was ruled out for offside shortly before the end. Defeat leaves Eintracht five points off a possible European berth in seventh, while Freiburg continue to dream of the top four with five games to go.

• Petersen extended his record for most goals as a substitute in the Bundesliga to 33, including four this season – a league high with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
• Freiburg’s record goalscorer has more Bundesliga goals against Frankfurt (nine) than any other club.
• Grifo has eight goals and seven assists after 29 matches. Nine and 10 are his respective season bests to beat (2020/21).
• This goal was his first away from home this season. Freiburg have won all six games this season and are unbeaten in the last 19 Bundesliga games where he has scored.
• It was the first time Frankfurt had conceded from a counter-attack since the opening weekend against Borussia Dortmund.
• Kostic ended a run of 14 league games without a goal going back to the reverse fixture. He’s now got two of his four goals this season against Freiburg.

Watch: Petersen struggles to explain his knack of scoring off the bench!

Frankfurt: Trapp - Tuta, Hinteregger, N'Dicka - Knauff (Hrustic 76’), Rode (c) (Kamada 76’), Sow (Jakic 31’), Kostic - Lindstrom, Hauge - Borre (Paciencia 63’)
Unused subs: Grahl, Lammers, Toure, Hasebe, Chandler
Out: Lenz (calf), Ramaj (knee)
Coach: Oliver Glasner

Freiburg: Flekken - Kübler (Schmid 82’), Lienhart, N. Schlotterbeck, Günter (c) - Eggestein, Höfler - Sallai (Petersen 61’), Höler (K. Schlotterbeck 61’), Grifo (Haberer 88’) - Demirovic (Jeong 61’)
Unused subs: Uphoff, Siquet, Gulde, Weißhaupt
Out: Keitel (broken toe), Schade (abdominals)
Coach: Christian Streich