Freiburg won 1-0 at Trabzonspor to get back to winning ways in the UEFA Conference League’s League Phase, moving level on six points with the Turkish side while also ending their opponent’s perfect start to the competition.
It was the Bundesliga team who applied most of the early pressure, as Jordy Makengo and captain Maximilian Eggestein signalled their intent with wayward efforts from range. That pressure was rewarded with the opening goal after 14 minutes, thanks to defender Lukas Kubler.
Igor Matanovic’s initial header was saved by Andre Onana but fell kindly for Kubler, who smashed the rebound into the top corner from six yards out for his European goal since his double in last season’s UEFA Europa League semi-final second-leg victory against Braga.
Matanovic had the chance to quickly double the lead after a poor pass from Onana, but the former Manchester United goalkeeper saved the Croatian’s deflected effort.
Trabzonspor were a shadow of the team that had won their last seven games in all competitions but showed signs of waking up as Mohamed Salah fired a free-kick wide before Ernest Muci drilled a ferocious effort past the post.
The Turks failed to test Mio Backhaus in the Freiburg goal, however, and the visitors came close to extending their lead when Eggestein’s flying volley was blocked from finding the net by Chibuike Nwaiwu.
The chances kept coming in an end-to-end contest as Salah – on his 150th appearance in UEFA competitions – blazed over from 12 yards before Cyriaque Irie headed onto the roof of the net.
Salah had scored in each of his two Conference League appearances this season and should have equalised with his next effort on the hour-mark as he ran onto Paul Onuachu’s header from a corner but failed to beat Backhaus from point-blank range.
Matanovic’s volley from a tight angle was the best the Germans could manage in response, with Trabzonspor on top in search of an equaliser.
As in the first half, however, the home side struggled to create meaningful openings, with Nwaiwu’s wasteful effort bobbling wide before Onuachu’s deflected header floated away from danger and Muci fired over the bar as Freiburg defended well to secure a crucial three points.
Both sides will be confident of securing their place in the knockout stages in the second half of fixtures, following the international break, as Freiburg take on FC Twente on Matchday four when Trabzonspor travel to Bulgaria to take on CSKA Sofia.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Mio Backhaus (Freiburg)
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