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Freiburg's Michael Gregoritsch and Vincenzo Grifo celebrate the 1-0 win through Woo-Yeong Jeong (from left) against 1. FC Köln
Photo: Alex Grimm/Getty Images
SC Freiburg confirmed its strong form and defeated 1. FC Köln 2-0 (0-0).
The Freiburg have thus scored 13 points from the last six league games.
The weakened team from Cologne rarely posed a threat in front of goal and then let themselves be countered when Woo-Yeong Jeong scored (53rd minute).
Gregoritsch then scored with his head (64.)
Freiburg jumps to second place in the table with the win and thus overtakes Union Berlin, who went down in Sunday's second game in Leverkusen.
The Breisgauer are only one point behind Bayern Munich.
Cologne remains without a win for the third game in a row and is in twelfth place.
After the end of the Conference League three days earlier and many failures - including Mark Uth, Dejan Ljubicic, Jonas Hector and Timo Hübers - Cologne found it difficult to get back into the game.
Many mistakes in the structure made it easy for the people of Freiburg.
The best player from Cologne in the first half was goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe, who first defused a ball from Vincenzo Grifo from a tight angle (2').
Later, he first let Jeong's long-range shot deflect, but parried Michael Gregoritsch's follow-up shot (15').
Freiburg set the tone up until the 20th minute, but then allowed the game to flatten out.
Cologne was now better in defense and was able to increase the pace a little.
Shortly before the break, the guests unexpectedly had the chance to take the lead: Linton Maina left Christian Günter on the right wing, moved to the baseline and crossed.
Ellyes Skhiri appeared near the first post and volleyed just over the goal (42').
Freiburg came out of the dressing room more alert and countered Cologne in a classic way: Nicolas Höfler conquered a ball in his own penalty area, Michael Gregoritsch landed the ball at Jeong, who scored from 12 meters low with the help of the right inside post to make it 1-0 (53).
Gregoritsch then made it 2-0 himself: after a Günter cross, he headed into the goal from six meters without any pressure (64th).
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