Bundesliga
Visiting forward Phil Harres gave Freiburg a real scare when netting a late brace, but the hosts ultimately did enough to edge Holstein Kiel thanks to an earlier own goal, Christian Günter's free kick and a neat Vincenzo Grifo finish.
Frieburg 3-2 Holstein Kiel
Goals: 1-0 Remberg o.g. 23’, 2-0 Günter 38’, 3-0 Grifo 74’ (assist: Dōan), 3-1 Harres 85’, 3-2 Harres 90’
Freiburg welcomed Kiel to the Europa-Park Stadion for the first time in the Bundesliga encounter and both sides were eager to start the new year on a positive note. The contest began with a heart-stopping moment for the home side. Just seconds after kick-off, Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu was forced into a last-gasp clearance after a collision with Harres, narrowly avoiding an embarrassing start.
The early fright seemed to jolt Freiburg into action, and they gradually began to assert their dominance. The breakthrough came in the 23rd minute when an unfortunate Nicolai Remberg deflected Eren Dinkçi's cross into his own net, giving Freiburg a 1-0 lead.
The hosts doubled their advantage in spectacular fashion in the 38th minute. Christian Günter stepped up to take a free-kick from a tight angle and unleashed a thunderbolt that flew into the top corner, leaving Kiel goalkeeper Timon Weiner with no chance.
The strike, clocked at an impressive 114.53 km/h, marked Günter's first-ever direct free-kick goal in the Bundesliga. With Kiel struggling to create clear-cut chances, Freiburg took their comfortable 2-0 lead into the break.
Despite the visitors' efforts after the restart, it was Freiburg who struck again. In the 74th minute, Grifo capped off a fine team move, slotting home from close range to make it 3-0.
That should have been game, set and match for the home team, but Kiel had other ideas. Harres pulled one back in the 85th minute, pouncing on a rebound after Atubolu had initially saved Timo Becker's effort. The visiting forward wasn't done yet, as he struck again in the 90th minute, setting up a grandstand finish.
The final moments were fraught with tension as Kiel pushed for an equaliser, with Fiete Arp coming agonisingly close in injury time, only to be denied by a crucial Atubolu save.
Grifo was the standout performer in Freiburg's victory. The Italian international not only scored the crucial third goal but was at the heart of much of Freiburg's attacking play. His effort took his tally to five for the season, making him joint top scorer for Freiburg alongside Ritsu Dōan. Grifo's overall contribution to the team's attacking efforts was significant, with the stats showing he has now been involved in 12 of Freiburg's 24 Bundesliga goals this season, underlining his importance to the side.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Freiburg 0.76 - Kiel 2.2
Fastest player: Fiete Arp (Kiel), 33.15 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 2-0 by Christian Günter (Freiburg), 2.94 percent
Most pressed player: Ritsu Dōan (Freiburg), 19 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Marco Komenda (Kiel), +3.77
Fantasy Heroes: Phil Harres (Kiel, 289 Points), Christian Günter (Freiburg, 253 Points), Vincenzo Grifo (Freiburg, 245 Points)