Keisuke Goto rose off the bench to head ten-man Freiburg to the top of the Bundesliga, as Julian Schuster's side snatched a dramatic 2-1 victory over Schalke at the Europa-Park Stadion on Sunday.
Freiburg, who had already made a club-record start to the season with 10 points from their opening four matches, moved to 13 points — top on goal difference ahead of Borussia Dortmund, with champions Bayern Munich third on 11 after Saturday's 2-2 draw at Augsburg. According to Reuters, the Black Forest club are now the story of the Bundesliga season.
Eggestein strikes, Gantenbein replies
Freiburg got into their stride quickly and broke the deadlock in the 10th minute. Matthias Ginter's header from Derry Scherhant's corner was superbly saved by Loris Karius, but Maximilian Eggestein reacted first to poke the loose ball over the line — his third Bundesliga goal of the campaign.
The hosts continued to probe, with Igor Matanovic denied by a last-ditch block. Then, completely against the run of play, Schalke levelled in the 30th minute: Mio Backhaus punched clear a Robin Gosens corner, the ball fell to Adrian Gantenbein, and the debutant drove a deflected effort into the corner for his first Bundesliga goal — Schalke's first from a set piece this season.
Karius had to be alert again before the break, denying Yannick Engelhardt after a goalmouth scramble, and the sides went in level at 1-1.
Suzuki sees red as Schalke sense a chance
The two sides struggled to get going after the restart, but momentum swung towards the visitors just past the hour when Yuito Suzuki was shown a second yellow card — the first red card of the Japanese international's professional career.
Suddenly down to ten men, Freiburg looked set to settle for a point against a Schalke side with an extra man and growing belief. But Miron Muslic's visitors were far too passive and toothless in attack to make their numerical advantage count.
Goto's dream moment
With five minutes remaining, the Europa-Park Stadion erupted. Vincenzo Grifo floated a curling cross into the box and substitute Keisuke Goto — on for Engelhardt since the 69th minute — rose highest to nod a glancing header past Karius.
The 21-year-old Japan forward wheeled away in celebration as ten-man Freiburg completed one of the results of the Bundesliga season so far.
A record-breaking start for the Black Forest club
The victory extends Freiburg's unbeaten start to eight games across all competitions — seven wins and one draw — and confirms the best start in the club's Bundesliga history.
Schuster was full of praise for his players afterwards. "What the lads did was remarkable," he told the Bundesliga's official website. Schalke boss Muslic was left to rue a wasted opportunity: "We threw away a point."
The result piles the pressure on Bayern, who drew 2-2 at Augsburg on Saturday and now sit third — the champions no longer in control of their own title race.
Elsewhere: derby shame for Gladbach
Earlier on Sunday, Borussia Monchengladbach remained rock bottom of the table after a 2-1 defeat to local rivals Cologne, in a match overshadowed by ugly scenes on the terraces. The game was suspended for several minutes and riot police surrounded the away block after Gladbach fans appeared to fire fireworks into the home sections following Said El Mala's superb second-half winner.
"There is no place for that kind of thing in the stadium," Gladbach sporting director Rouwen Schroeder told DAZN, adding that the club would launch an investigation.
Defeat maintained pointless Gladbach's miserable start — five defeats from five — and new coach Alexander Blessin, who replaced Eugen Polanski in September, is already under serious pressure.
Beyond the Final Whistle: Freiburg's fairy tale keeps getting better — top of the Bundesliga with ten men and five minutes to play. Can Julian Schuster's side stay there, or will Bayern and Dortmund reassert themselves? Have your say below.
