German club SC Freiburg has pulled off a remarkable comeback to book their place in the Europa League final. In a dramatic semi-final second leg at their Europa-Park Stadion, Freiburg defeated Portuguese side SC Braga 3-1, overturning a 2-1 first-leg loss to advance on aggregate.
The match was heavily influenced by an early red card for Braga. Just seven minutes into the contest, visiting midfielder Mario Dorjelés was sent off, leaving his team to play the vast majority of the match with ten men. Freiburg quickly capitalized on their numerical advantage.
Defender Lukas Kübler opened the scoring for the hosts in the 19th minute, giving them a crucial lead. The German side continued to press, and their pressure paid off just before halftime. Midfielder Johan Manzambi found the back of the net in the 41st minute, doubling Freiburg's advantage and putting them firmly in control of the tie.
The second half saw Freiburg maintain their dominance. Lukas Kübler completed a memorable personal performance by scoring his second goal of the match in the 72nd minute, making the score 3-0. Braga managed a consolation goal through forward Pau Víctor in the 79th minute, but it was too little, too late for the Portuguese visitors.
The 3-1 victory on the night, combined with the first-leg result, was enough to send Freiburg through to the final. They will now face English Premier League club Aston Villa in the showpiece match, marking a historic achievement for the Bundesliga side.
The match was officiated by referee Davide Massa. Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.
