FREIBURG, GERMANY — SC Freiburg salvaged a crucial 1-1 draw against third-placed Borussia Dortmund at Europa-Park Stadion, with Lucas Höler's 75th-minute equalizer earning the hosts a valuable point after Jobe Bellingham's red card transformed the match dynamics. The result sees Dortmund maintain their third position with 30 points while Freiburg move up to 18 points in ninth place.
The opening goal arrived in the 31st minute through Ramy Bensebaini, who pounced from very close range following a set piece situation, rifling his right-footed effort into the top left corner to give the visitors the advantage. Dortmund's early dominance seemed to justify their superior league position, with Serhou Guirassy and Carney Chukwuemeka orchestrating attacks through the middle third.
Everything changed in the 53rd minute when Jobe Bellingham received his marching orders for a foul on Philipp Treu in the attacking third. The dismissal immediately shifted the tactical balance, allowing Freiburg to press higher and exploit the numerical advantage. Christian Günter began finding more space down the left flank, while Maximilian Eggestein started dictating tempo from deeper positions.
The statistics told the story of Freiburg's growing influence: they registered 57% possession compared to Dortmund's 43%, managed six shots on target to the visitors' four, and forced nine corners while conceding none. Yuito Suzuki tested Gregor Kobel with a curling effort from outside the box in the 73rd minute, while Philipp Treu's long-range drive required another smart save from the Dortmund goalkeeper.
The equalizer finally arrived with 15 minutes remaining when Höler found himself perfectly positioned in the centre of the box. Christian Günter's precise cross from the left found the striker, who controlled brilliantly before unleashing a right-footed shot into the top right corner that left Kobel with no chance. The Europa-Park Stadion erupted as the home faithful sensed their team's resilience had been rewarded.
Dortmund's numerical disadvantage became increasingly apparent in the final stages, with Gregor Kobel forced into several crucial interventions. The Swiss goalkeeper denied Igor Matanovic from close range in the 82nd minute, while Matthias Ginter's late header from six yards sailed narrowly over the crossbar as Freiburg pushed for a dramatic winner.
Looking ahead, SC Freiburg will host VfL Wolfsburg on December 20, while Borussia Dortmund host Borussia Mönchengladbach on December 19.