Berlin, May 8 (IANS) SC Freiburg reached the Europa League final for the first time in the club’s history after beating Sporting Braga 3-1 in the second leg of their semifinal to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit and set up a meeting with Aston Villa in Istanbul.

Julian Schuster’s side advanced 4-3 on aggregate after the match was transformed almost immediately by Braga’s red card. Mario Dorgeles, scorer of the Portuguese club’s winner in the first leg, was dismissed in the sixth minute for a last-man foul on Niklas Beste, leaving the visitors to play almost the entire match with 10 men.

Freiburg turned that advantage into control. Vincenzo Grifo’s cross from the left was not dealt with cleanly, and Lukas Kubler bundled the ball into the lower corner in the 18th minute to level the tie, reports Xinhua.

The hosts then moved ahead before halftime. Philipp Treu found Johan Manzambi in a central position, and the midfielder struck from distance into the right corner in the 41st minute. Braga nearly responded in first-half stoppage time, but Victor Gomez rounded Noah Atubolu and hit the post from a tight angle before Rodrigo Zalazar’s follow-up was blocked.

Freiburg resumed with the stronger momentum. Grifo hit the post in the 47th minute, Matthias Ginter sent an effort narrowly wide, and Manzambi forced Lukas Hornicek into a save. Braga still created openings, with Jean-Baptiste Gorby denied by Atubolu before Joao Moutinho curled just wide from the edge of the area.

Kubler gave Freiburg breathing space in the 72nd minute, heading Grifo’s free kick into the far corner to make it 3-0 on the night. Braga pulled a goal back seven minutes later when Pau Victor finished from close range after Joao Moutinho’s set piece and Victor Gomez’s delivery.

Atubolu preserved Freiburg’s aggregate lead late on, saving from Gorby in the 88th minute and Gabri Martinez deep into stoppage time. Freiburg will face Aston Villa at Tupras Stadion in Istanbul on May 20 in the final.

“It feels like a dream come true. It was a special evening, simply unbelievable. I think the fans carried us; the atmosphere today was incredible. Now that we are in the final, of course, we want to win the title,” Kubler said.

–IANS

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