Freiburg hosted Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga looking for their first win of the season, but they against threw away a lead to draw 1-1.
It was a strong start from the hosts and they went ahead after just six minutes as Admir Mehmedi rounded Thomas Kraft after being found by Sebastian Freis.
However, they sat back and Hertha levelled with what proved to be the final goal not long before the break, when Per Skjelbred poked in a Ronny long throw.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Hello Bundesliga fans. We have another double-header for you this Sunday. First up is Freiburg against Hertha Berlin at Mage Solar Stadion.
Freiburg have been, frankly, terrible so far this season with their main problem being that they just cannot keep a clean sheet. The 2-2 draw in midweek against Slovan Liberec was absolutely typical of their start to the season - they were cruising at half time, but threw it away in the second.
Hertha have not taken the league by storm, but are doing as well as they could have hoped for following promotion last season. They have already made the Olympic Stadium a daunting place to go, but have looked out of sorts away from the capital so far. This will be their third away game of the season, with just one point claimed so far.
Right, there are 20 minutes to go until kickoff. I have the team new for you, so bear with me.
FREIBURG XI: Baumann; Sorg, Diagne, Ginter, Gunter; Schmid, Schuster, Fernandes, Kerk; Freis, Mehmedi
HERTHA XI: Kraft; Pekarik, Langkamp, Brooks, Van der Bergh; Lustenberger, Hosogai; Skjelbred, Ronny, Ben-Hatira; Ramos
So it's two changes for the hosts following their disappointment on Thursday. For them, Fallou Diagne and Sebastian Freis are in for Pavel Krmas and Mike Hanke. That's a bit of a surprise, as I thought Hanke was one of the better players against Liberec.
The visitors welcome back Sebastian Langkamp into the heart of the defence, which sees a little reshuffling. Fabian Lustenberger moves forward into midfield and Tolga Cigerci drops to the bench.
A quick look at the odds ahead of kickoff tells us that it really could go either way, and I tend to agree. It's 7-4 for the hosts, while Hertha can be backed at 9-5. I'm tempted by Hertha 1-0, I must admit.
KICKOFF: The hosts get us underway in front of a packed house.
Hertha have passed it well here early on. Both sides are looking to settle into the game by passing it around at the back, with neither threatening the goal as yet.
Freiburg now are just keeping the ball among themselves, waiting for the opportunity. Diagne is looking to get it forward from right-back, but his pass into Freis is cut out.
GOAL! Freiburg 1-0 Hertha (Admir Mehmedi)
Hertha were caught out at the back there. Freis plays the ball in behind the defence perfectly for Mehmedi, who beats Kraft to the ball and puts it into the empty net after rounding him. That's a really good goal.
BOOKING: Nasty late lunge there from Kerk, who commits himself and fouls Lustenberger. He cannot have any complaints about the card.
CLOSE! That was just the start that Freiburg needed after Thursday's disappointment, and they break again through Schmid down the right. His cutback goes all the way to Fernandes on the edge of the box and his low effort is deflected wide. I think that might have been going in.
It's really encouraging football from Freiburg, who spring the key ball really quickly. This time it's Freis down the left who cuts to the byline but the ball was just out of play as he pulled it back into the box.
They are also pressing right up the pitch when Hertha have the ball. Diagne makes a poor touch there to allow Ramos in, but as Skjelbred tries to get in the box on the right hand side Schuster whacks it into the stands. You cannot say he wasn't making sure there.
Ramos does really well to leap and win a header, but there was no-one up in support to get to his flick-on. Van den Bergh shouldn't have aimed that in the air, in truth. Ramos could not do anything with it.
HERTHA SUB: Levan Kobiashvili replaces John Anthony Brooks, who was unable to recover from a knock a few minutes ago against Mehmedi. The former Freiburg players gets a good reception form the home crowd.
SAVE: Oliver Baumann kind of flaps at that, I think he should have done better. Ben-Hatira crosses from the left and it doesn't have a great deal of power put the keeper parries it back out into the box. Fortunately, it's a read shirt it falls to.
SHOT! Incredible effort from Ronny, who shoots from 45 yards with a free kick and tries to catch out Baumann. It's on target but the keeper is back on his line in time to stop it.
Ouch. Blood. Fernandes has the red stuff pouring from his face and it was an accidental elbow. He'll probably need stitches in that, it looks nasty.
Not much drama in the last few minutes. The last real chance was Fernandes's just a few minutes after the goal. Since then, Hertha have kept the ball nicely and Freiburg have looked to hit them on the break.
Fernandes is back on the field with stitches on his eye. He's made of the hard stuff, I'm sure it won't stop him getting stuck in.
It would be nice to see a few more chances created. Hertha look to be wary of the pace of their opponents and their defensive line is now sitting a little deeper.
Ronny steps up for a free kick much closer than his previous attempt. This time he goes for sheer power and can only put it straight into the wall. What a waste.
Hertha are looking to finish the half the stronger side. They are certainly seeing a lot of the ball, but much of it in their own half.
GOAL! Freiburg 1-1 Hertha (Per Skjelbred)
Reall bad defending my the hosts, but Skjelbred does well to squeeze that in. It's a long throw from Ronny that goes right to his outstretched boot and he turns it into the bottom corner for 1-1.
Hertha are still on top now and they are attacking at pace. A counter attack ends with Baumann coming out well to gather. Freiburg will start again from the back, do they have the determination to win this?
The Hertha pressing game is fantastic now. There's nowhere for Schmid to go and in the end Freiburg are forced all the way back to Ginter under pressure.
Two minutes of stoppage time have been added on. Can either side get ahead in front?
HALF TIME: Freiburg 1-1 Hertha Berlin
The score at the break is just about right as neither side has really done enough to be ahead. Freiburg started very brightly but they let the side from the capital back in, and Hertha duly responded with the equaliser.
The opening goal was a fantastic piece of football. Freis, who has probably been the hosts' best player so far, played Mehmedi in behind and the forward clipped it round the keeper before putting it into the empty net.
The equaliser typified Freiburg's defensive frailties so far this season. They went to sleep from a long throw and Ronny's ball went straight to Skjelbred who still did well to turn it in. So far, there's no separating the two sides.
The players are coming back out for the second half. I'm not sure if there have been any changes at the break, but I don't expect there to be.
KICKOFF: The second half has begun, here we go.
Hertha have started the second 45 brightly. They are pressing high up the pitch and are feeding on Freiburg's nerves from their poor start to the season.
At the moment there looks to be only one side likely to win this. Hertha are looking very confident with the ball, but still lack any real chances so far. Ramos is the target man with balls into his head, but the support from midfield is not there.
Baumann punches again, but I thought he could have claimed that. The cross comes in from the right and he goes at it with one fist and gets good distance. Under little pressure, he should have got both hands around it.
Freiburg are still yet to get possession in the Hertha half this half. They are camped in their own half but are defending well which is making this less than thrilling at the moment.
Screams from the crowd for a free kick as Kerk looks to be clipped as he tried to cut into the box. It would have been harsh, though. Freiburg finally have a spell in the away half, but Van den Bergh clears it as the ball nears his area.
After the brief spell by Freiburg Hertha are right back with the ball. Ben-Hatira tries to play a one-two with Ramos, but the ball back to him goes out of play.
CLOSE! Kerk is in for the first time in the half as he latches on to a loose ball, but his left-footed effort curls just over the bar.
FREIBURG SUB: That is Kerk's last action of the game, as Francis Coquelin comes on for him.
Hertha win a free kick as Kobiashvili goes down so, so easily under pressure from Diagne. He left his foot in there and was looking for it. Nevertheless it's given and Ronny steps up...
It was a dreadful effort from Ronny. He went for power but got well under it and it flies over. Skjelbred is booked for mistiming a sliding tackle on Fernandes. Fair yellow that.
HERTHA SUB: Sami Allagui comes on for Ronny. That suggests that they might be going a bit more direct.
It has become a little scrappy here, particularly from the hosts who are giving away needless fouls. They are desperate for their first win of the season and the players are just a little eager.
BOOKING: Ben-Hatira goes into the book for pulling back Schmid are he looked to burst through. It's a cynical foul and he cannot really argue - although he does of course.
SAVE! Big save from Baumann there. Hertha are allowed to press into the box and Ramos has a big chance as Allagui backheeled to him, but the keeper stayed big and blocked the shot.
SUBS: Mike Hanke is on for Freis for the hosts, with Hertha making their own change with Sandro Wagner on for Skjelbred.
Hanke does well to earn a corner from a rare attack. The ball in from Schmid however is easily cleared. Berlin really are no-nonsense at the back and clear it anywhere rather than play it out.
Really the only chance of the half was Ramos's effort around 10 minutes ago. The game promised much in the opening 10, but since then has been more about the teams trying not to concede than them trying to score. The home crowd are starting to show their frustration.
CLOSE! Kobiashvili strikes through a sea of bodies and Baumann is incredibly lucky that it comes off his arm and just goes inches wide. He did not see that and had no idea where it was heading!
BOOKING: Langkamp is booked for the away team for a foul on Hanke. The striker has put himself about since coming on and Freiburg are just edging themselves on top.
Another foul from Hertha, with Schmid allowed another chance to cross from deep. He has not found his range so far and this one is headed behind for a corner.
BOOKING: Another card and this one goes to Coquelin, who goes up all arms on Langkamp. There wasn't too much in it really, but the defender went down in a heap.
OFF THE POST! That could have been it! Fernandes latches on to a ball through and just about beats Kraft to it, but his effort comes back off the post and he slips going for the rebound! It's cleared behind and from the corner Ginter has a free header but puts it into the ground and wide! That might be it with two minutes of added time.
BOOKING: Crunching foul from Wagner on Sorg and he is rightly booked. Appalling challenge.
FULL TIME: Freiburg 1-1 Hertha Berlin
Ugly scenes at the end from Streich, but the result is 1-1. No time for further analysis as I'm on to the Stuttgart game right now. Keep your eyes peeled for that. Goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
