Freiburg and Gladbach share six goals in barnstormer

Freiburg 3-3 Borussia Mönchengladbach
Goals: 0-1 Bensebaini (pen. 3'), 0-2 Embolo (13'), 1-2 Grifo (pen. 49'), 2-2 Günter (assist: Eggestein) 61', 3-2 Lienhart (assist: Günter) 80', 3-3 Stindl (assist: Herrmann) 90+3'

Freiburg's fans were still celebrating their midweek DFB Cup semi-final win over Hamburg when their team were already behind. A Nicolas Höfler handball inside the penalty area was checked on the video by the referee, who pointed to the spot and Ramy Bensebaini tucked the ball in. And perhaps the Freiburg players' minds were also dwelling on their historic DFB Cup final qualification when Breel Embolo doubled Gladbach's lead just ten minutes later, lobbing the ball over Mark Flekken to crown a quick counter-attack in style. Yann Sommer made a fine save to deny Vincenzo Grifo and keep Gladbach two up as the hosts finally clicked into gear towards the end of a first half Freiburg would otherwise have been happy to forget.

Sommer couldn't get near Grifo's penalty which brought Freiburg back into the game early in the second half, after Stefan Lainer was punished for handball, and the momentum was now on the hosts' side. They levelled on the hour mark through Christian Günter, whose confident and precise low drive past Sommer from the edge of the area was his first goal of the season. Maximilian Eggestein had teed him up, and he almost gave Freiburg the lead with a volley which Sommer took the sting out of. More was to follow for a fervent Freiburg with Philipp Lienhart rising to meet Günter's corner and head the hosts in front, sparking jubilant scenes at the sell-out Europa-Park Stadion. They were subdued in stoppage time, though, when Lars Stindl rose to head in Patrick Herrmann's cross and snatch a point for the guests. Freiburg's European hopes are still very much alive heading into the final three games of the season, but Gladbach's are over.

Watch: Freiburg 3-3 Gladbach - in 60 seconds!

• Bensebaini converted his fifth penalty out of five in the Bundesliga.
• It was the earliest goal Gladbach have scored this season, and the earliest Freiburg have conceded.
• Grifo converted his 13th Bundesliga penalty out of 14.
• The Italian is Freiburg’s top dog for goal involvement in this season’s Bundesliga (nine goals, six assists). He made 18 appearances for Gladbach between 2015 and 2017, producing four assists.
• Freiburg are bidding for their fourth top-five finish in 22 seasons of Bundesliga football.
• Gladbach are winless on their last 12 trips to Freiburg (D3, L9), and have only won two of 21 Bundesliga games in the Black Forest.

Freiburg: Flekken - Kübler (K. Schlotterbeck 85'), Lienhart, N. Schlotterbeck, Günter (c) - Eggestein, Höfler - Sallai (Haberer 89'), Jeong (Weißhaupt 46', Schmid 55'), Grifo - Demirovic (Höler 46')
Unused subs: Uphoff, Siquet, Sildillia, Vermeij
Out: Gulde (ill), Keitel (broken toe), Schade (abdominals)
Coach: Christian Streich 

Gladbach: Sommer (c) - Beyer (Herrmann 85'), Elvedi, Bensebaini - Lainer (Noß 69'), Neuhaus (Scally 69'), Kone, Netz - Hofmann, Plea - Embolo
Unused subs: Sippel, Friedrich, Kramer, Stindl, Jantschke, Bennetts
Out: Benes (thigh), Ginter (ankle), Thuram (hamstring)
Coach: Adi Hütter