| SC Braga won the first leg thanks to a goal in added time by Mario Dorgeles. Demir Taknaz opened the scoring for the Portuguese before Vincenzo Grifo equalised for Freiburg. A crucial moment was the penalty saved by Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubuolu, which left the Germans in the game for the second leg. Julian Schuster's men are expected to press from the first minute, supported by the fans of their stadium. They need a clean win by two goals to advance directly. All eyes will be on Vincenzo Grifo and Jan-Niklas Beste, whose crosses are a key weapon in set pieces. Freiburg will have to watch out for counterattacks, as SC Braga have very fast wingers. The guests will likely play a more defensive formation, waiting for counterattacking opportunities through Rodrigo Zalazar and captain Ricardo Horta. Carlos Vicens' team have a slight lead and know that a draw will send them to the final. Both teams have scored 22 goals in the tournament so far. The winner of this semi final will meet Aston Villa or Nottingham Forest in the final on May 20 in Istanbul. |
