Freiburg 2-1 Schalke: Goto sends ten men top

Ten-man Freiburg beat Schalke 2-1 in the Bundesliga at the Europa-Park Stadion on 11 October 2026, with substitute Keisuke Goto heading an 85th-minute winner to send them top. Julian Schuster’s side had lost Yuito Suzuki to a second yellow card with the match level, but a cross from fellow substitute Vincenzo Grifo supplied the decisive opening. The victory extended Freiburg’s best start to a Bundesliga season.

Freiburg’s early pressure had brought a deserved lead through Maximilian Eggestein in the tenth minute. Igor Matanovic had already tested Loris Karius within seconds of kick-off, giving the goalkeeper an immediate task on his 100th Bundesliga appearance. Karius then saved Matthias Ginter’s header from a corner, but could not keep the ball away from Eggestein, who reacted quickly and turned the rebound over the line from close range.

The hosts remained the more threatening side after that breakthrough. Matanovic had another shot blocked as Freiburg pursued a second goal, while their quick breaks continued to trouble Schalke. Winning possession gave the home side opportunities to attack before the visitors could settle, and Schalke offered little going forward in the opening stages. Freiburg had established an advantage both on the scoreboard and in the chances created, without securing a second goal.

Gantenbein equalises before Suzuki sees red

Schalke’s response came from a corner in the 30th minute rather than the open-play attacks they had struggled to build. Mio Backhaus punched the delivery away, but Adrian Gantenbein met the loose ball first time and drove it into the corner. It was Gantenbein’s first Bundesliga goal and Schalke’s first opportunity of the match, a sharp finish that interrupted Freiburg’s stronger opening and brought the visitors level.

The equaliser helped Schalke establish themselves in a more balanced contest, although Karius still had work to do before half-time. Freiburg threatened again in a crowded goalmouth, where the goalkeeper stayed alert to prevent the home side regaining the lead. The interval arrived at 1-1: Schalke had recovered from their difficult opening, while Freiburg’s early pressure had yielded only Eggestein’s goal despite further opportunities around the visitors’ penalty area.

Schalke became more competitive after the break, enjoying more of the ball and making Freiburg’s attacking work harder. Moussa Sylla had an effort blocked as the visitors began to pose a greater threat themselves. The next decisive incident, however, was disciplinary: Suzuki fouled Soufiane El-Faouzi and received his second yellow card. Freiburg were left to play the remaining stages with ten men, having been unable to restore their first-half lead.

The dismissal did not stop Freiburg looking for opportunities to break forward. Schalke had the extra player but struggled to turn that advantage into clear openings, while the hosts continued to offer a threat rather than simply retreating. Chances were scarce at both ends during this spell. That made the contribution from Schuster’s bench particularly important: the winning attack would come through two substitutes, with Grifo providing the delivery and Goto the finish.

Grifo and Goto deliver Freiburg’s late winner

In the 85th minute, Grifo crossed from the left towards the far post, where Goto rose to head past Karius. The goal was Goto’s first in the Bundesliga and gave Freiburg a late lead despite their numerical disadvantage. Schalke had been unable to make the dismissal count at the other end; now they were punished by a precise combination between two players introduced from the home bench.

Freiburg then protected their lead through the remainder of normal time and five added minutes as Schalke sought a late reply. There was still a chance for the hosts on the counterattack, with Cyriaque Irie heading wide. Schuster afterwards praised his players’ character and the impact of the substitutes. Their response to Suzuki’s dismissal had included both the decisive attacking contribution and the defensive work needed to preserve it.

The result completed Freiburg’s third home league win of the season and took them to 13 points from five matches, their highest total at this stage of a Bundesliga campaign. They finished the fifth matchday above Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, returning to first place. The club record rested on that five-game return, with this victory adding three points through a late winner scored while Freiburg were a player short.