1. FC Union Berlin suffered a minor setback in the Bundesliga after losing 1-3 at the Schwarzwald-Stadion against Freiburg.
Roland Sallai headed Freiburg into a first-half lead from a corner kick before Christian Günter's rocket from 18 yards hit the top corner. Sebastian Andersson's 11th goal of the Bundesliga campaign – his sixth headed goal this season – cut the deficit in half with about 30 minutes to play.
However, Robin Koch restored the two-goal cushion for Christian Streich's team with a header in the 83rd minute. Urs Fischer's side were dealt a final blow in stoppage time when Marvin Friedrich was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
1. FC Union Berlin: Gikiewicz; Friedrich, Schlotterbeck, Subotic (Becker 83); Trimmel, Lenz, Andrich, Gentner; Bülter (Polter 59), Andersson, Malli (Ingvartsen 72)
Urs Fischer urged his side pre-match to take the positives away from a disappointing DFB Pokal defeat to Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday. The clutch of players, who helped the club earn a point at home to Wolfsburg, returned to action – Neven Subotic, Christian Gentner, Yunus Malli and Sebastian Andersson were all restored to the starting XI. Union were backed in numbers and noise in Freiburg, with more than 2,000 supporters making the near 850km trip to the south of Germany. On 22 minutes, Freiburg keeper Alexander Schwolow made an important block to keep out a shot from Christian Gentner, the experienced midfielder rifling the effort on target on his 401st Bundesliga appearance. But the solitary first-half goal arrived in the 33rd minute when Union poorly defended a corner kick and Hungarian forward Sallai headed past Rafal Gikiewicz from close range.
The hosts remained on top after the restart as Union struggled to get a foothold in the match. A loose ball landed sweetly to Günter after 55 minutes and the one-time German international thundered an unstoppable shot into the top corner. In the seconds before the second Freiburg goal, a home supporter started to receive medical treatment, that led to a similar hush around the stadium as on Wednesday night in Leverkusen. Union Berlin threw Sebastian Polter into the mix and changed to a two-pronged striking partnership and inside 90 seconds, the Köpenick club had scored. Christopher Trimmel's outswinging corner was turned emphatically past Alexander Schwolow by Sebastian Andersson. For all of the Swede's efforts to pull one back, Sallai's goal two minutes later was ruled offside by the assistant referee. Marcus Ingvartsen's arrival on 72 minutes gave Yunus Malli the opportunity to rest up, but the changes were unable to inspire Union further. A third set-piece goal of the afternoon, Robin Koch headed in from Vincenzo Grifo to secure the points for the home side. Before the whistle was blown, Friedrich was shown a second yellow card, which means the central defender will sit out an automatic one-game suspension.
1. FC Union Berlin's first-team squad will return to the capital on Saturday night ahead of this week's preparation for the visit of the league leaders and reigning German champions Bayern Munich, who visit the Stadion An der Alten Försterei on Saturday at 18:30.
Union Berlin make trip south to SC Freiburg
Match preview
1. FC Union Berlin will look to bounce back from Wednesday's DFB Pokal exit when they head to SC Freiburg on Saturday at 15:30.
Urs Fischer's side will head to Baden-Württemberg for the weekend's game, which is expected to be the club's final visit to the Schwarzwald-Stadion before Freiburg move into their new home.
Review: Bitter Cup Exit, Freiburg's form unconvincing
1. FC Union Berlin bowed out of the German Cup after a 1-3 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday night. Marcus Ingvartsen put the Köpenick club in front as Union dominated and controlled the first quarter-final bout in 19 years. But Christopher Lenz's second yellow card turned the game on its head with 20 minutes to play. Karim Bellarabi took advantage seconds after Union were reduced to 10 men at the BayArena. Charles Aranguiz and Moussa Diaby scored late on to book Peter Bosz's side's place in the semi-final draw.
Christian Streich's team enjoyed a free midweek to prepare for the visit of Union this weekend. Last Saturday, Freiburg put in a dogged performance at Signal Iduna Park, but went down 0-1 to Borussia Dortmund and an early strike from Jadon Sancho. However, Freiburg's form since the return hasn't matched the excellent results of the first half of the season. Streich's side have won just two of seven Bundesliga games — losing to 1. FC Köln, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Paderborn and Borussia Dortmund along the way.
Record: Unbeaten in three
1. FC Union Berlin will look to extend their positive run of results against Freiburg to four successive matches. Late goals put Union into the third round of the German Cup after a 3-1 win at the Schwarzwald-Stadion in October. At home, Marius Bülter and Marcus Ingvartsen scored the goals to guarantee three points in the Bundesliga. In 2016, after Freiburg had already secured a return promotion to the top flight, Union ran out 2-1 winners at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
Service: Over 2,000 in Freiburg
The club expects around 2,200 away supporters at the Schwarzwald-Stadion. There are tickets still available for the away end on the day of the game.
You can read more from head coach Urs Fischer after the Leverkusen defeat and ahead of Saturday's Bundesliga return here.
