From the beginning, the side of Julian Nagelsmann was superior, pinning their guests back within their half as they swarmed forward in numbers. With their first shot through the bows, Yussuf Poulsen went wide, before Willi Orban and Emil Forsberg both hit the post in quick succession. There was a feeling that there was a target coming, but it came from an unexpected source when it arrived.
Nordic Mukiele was headed into the center by Marcel Sabitzer ‘s cross to the back post, and Ibrahima Konate was first, sweeping home from close range just his second Bundesliga goal. As Leipzig attempted a second as half-time approached, Forsberg and Kevin Kampl fired just off target from distance, but Freiburg, which managed just one goal attempt in the first 45 minutes, kept on at the break to regroup.
They did exactly that, with Christian Streich in the dressing room seemingly giving his side the hair-dryer treatment.
From the first 45 minutes, the Black Forest club was almost unrecognizable, winning more tackles in midfield and attacking with much greater confidence. Manuel Gulde and Lukas Kübler both went close with headers, but they conceded again just as Freiburg was creating momentum.
Nicolas Höfler bundled within the penalty area into the back of Christopher Nkunku, and Sabitzer was merciless from the spot with his second goal of the season to double Leipzig’s advantage. That effectively ended the game as a contest, with Freiburg realizing the scale of the mountain they had to climb, and with a superb free-kick in the last minute, Angelino added gloss to the scoreline to keep Leipzig in the hunt near the top of the table.
