Freiburg top the Bundesliga as ten-man side beat Schalke with late Goto header

SC Freiburg are top of the Bundesliga after a 2-1 win over promoted Schalke 04 on Sunday, settled by substitute Keisuke Goto's header in the 85th minute while Freiburg were playing with ten men. Julian Schuster's side have 13 points, level with Borussia Dortmund but ahead on goal difference (+10 to +7), while Bayern Munich sit third on 11.

The gap in numbers

After five matchdays the top three are separated by two points. Freiburg have won four and drawn one (14 goals for, 4 against), Dortmund have the same record with 11 goals scored, and unbeaten Bayern have three wins and two draws with a league-best 16 goals. Bayer Leverkusen are fourth on 10 points after a 4-3 win at Mainz, and RB Leipzig fifth on 9 after beating Eintracht Frankfurt 6-0, with Christopher Nkunku scoring three.

Freiburg went top because both rivals dropped points. On Friday Dortmund led Werder Bremen 2-0 after goals by Daniel Svensson (80') and Nico Schlotterbeck (85'), but Ludovit Reis pulled one back in the 88th minute and former Dortmund striker Niclas Füllkrug headed the equaliser in stoppage time. It ended Dortmund's run of four wins from four. "It's difficult to play against a deep block," Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said afterwards.

On Saturday Bayern drew 2-2 at Augsburg after conceding to Robin Fellhauer after 8.4 seconds, the fastest goal in Bundesliga history. Nathaniel Brown equalised in the 80th minute, and Bayern had several more goals ruled out for offside, including a Serge Gnabry strike in the sixth minute of stoppage time. "We are making it hard for ourselves again, falling behind again," sporting director Max Eberl told Sky.

How Freiburg did it

Maximilian Eggestein put Freiburg ahead after ten minutes, following up after Loris Karius saved a Matthias Ginter header. Adrian Gantenbein's shot was deflected in by Kenan Karaman to equalise on the half hour, and Yuito Suzuki was sent off for a second yellow card in the 64th minute. Schuster then brought on Vincenzo Grifo and Goto, and Grifo's cross found the 21-year-old Japanese forward for the winner. According to Sportschau, Freiburg were also top after five matchdays in 2022/23.

"What is much nicer than top spot is the way we won," Schuster told Sportschau. Forward Derry Scherhant was more cautious: "We know that it's only a snapshot."

The next fixtures

Freiburg host FK Jablonec in the Conference League on Thursday, then face fourth-placed Leverkusen away on Sunday at 15:30. Bayern host Leipzig on Saturday 17 October at 18:30 and travel to Freiburg on 25 October before Dortmund visit Munich on 31 October. Dortmund's next league game is away at Union Berlin, between Champions League trips to Bodø/Glimt and Sabah FC.