Bundesliga
USA international Zack Steffen saved a second-half penalty, but could not prevent Fortuna Düsseldorf from falling to a 2-1 defeat at home to high-flying Freiburg.
Fortuna Düsseldorf 1-2 Freiburg
Goals: 1-0 Hennings (42'), 1-1 Schmid (45'), 1-2 Waldschmidt (81')
Fortuna carried the marginally greater threat in the early exchanges as Poland international Dawid Kownacki chested tamely into the arms of Alexander Schwolow and Erik Thommy followed suit from outside the area. Thommy found more joy with a corner-kick delivery when he landed a cross on the head of Rouwen Hennings to give Fortuna the lead in the 42nd minute, but the hosts hit back almost immediately as Jonathan Schmid tucked away Freiburg captain Christian Günter’s low back-post cross on the stroke of half-time.
Thommy sent a header over from Kownacki over at the start of a far more open second period. The contest was ticking past the hour-mark when referee Daniel Siebert was notified of a possible infringement in the Fortuna area. He pointed to the penalty spot after a lengthy VAR review, but Steffen rode to Fortuna’s rescue to keep out Lucas Höler’s tame spot-kick. Kenan Karaman was denied by Schwolow as Düsseldorf sought the winner, before substitute Luca Waldschmidt thundered in an unstoppable effort at the other end to give third-placed Freiburg all three points.
Düsseldorf: Steffen - Zimmermann, Ayhan, Hoffmann, Gießelmann - Bodzek (c), Baker - Thommy (Tekpetey 68'), Karaman, Kownacki (Ampomah 76') – Hennings
Unused subs: Kastenmeier, Adams, Ofori, Pledl, Contento, Sobottka, Bormuth
Out: Barkok (shoulder), Fink (match fitness), Morales (groin), Rensing (shoulder), Stöger (cruciate ligament), Suttner (groin), Wolf (inner ear)
Coach: Friedhelm Funkel
Freiburg: Schwolow - Lienhart, Koch, Heintz - Schmid (Kübler 89'), Haberer, Höfler, Abrashi (Grifo 72'), Günter (c) - Höler (Waldschmidt 72'), Petersen
Unused subs: Thiede, Schlotterbeck, Gondorf, Borrello, Sallai, Kwon
Out: Flekken (ankle), Frantz (groin), Kath (knock)
Coach: Christian Streich