“Such a stupid goal at the end” - Freiburg left frustrated after Union defeat | OneFootball

Union Berlin secured an important 1-0 win over Freiburg, with substitute Woo-Yeong Jeong making the decisive impact off the bench. The midfielder said his objective was clear when he entered the game.

“I’m very happy about my goal,” Jeong said. “I just wanted to come on and change the game - and today it worked well.”

The South Korean international emphasised how significant the result was for Union. “The three points are really important for us. We had to win today. We had pressure, but we worked together and deserved the victory.”

Freiburg, however, felt the result did not fully reflect the balance of the match. Midfielder Maximilian Eggestein highlighted that his team had largely limited Union’s chances before the decisive moment.

“We didn’t allow much and were well organised, but then we concede such a stupid goal at the end,” Eggestein said.

He also admitted that Freiburg struggled to pose enough attacking threat to truly put the hosts under pressure. “We weren’t good enough going forward to create pressure and force the goal. Still, the goal we conceded is very annoying.”

Eggestein also referenced a late penalty situation that could have changed the outcome for Freiburg. “It’s a 50–50 situation. If the referee gives it during the game, he probably doesn’t take it back. So of course it’s frustrating for us.”

Freiburg striker Igor Matanović also endured a difficult evening after picking up an injury in an aerial duel, though he remained determined to recover quickly. “Yes, the injury looks bad and it immediately felt bad after the header,” Matanović said. “But that’s my game - I live for those duels. I leave my heart on the pitch.”

The forward stressed that his focus was already on returning as soon as possible. “The injury is secondary. Hopefully we can treat it well so that I can be back on the pitch on Thursday.”

Reflecting on the match, Matanović echoed his teammate’s frustration at the result. “The loss is very annoying. We knew it would be difficult against Union. Our finishing wasn’t ideal, but our chance creation wasn’t either.”

In the end, Jeong’s decisive contribution proved enough to hand Union Berlin all three points, while Freiburg were left to rue missed opportunities and a late turning point in a closely contested match.