Freiburg win basement battle in seven-goal thriller

Freiburg came from three goals down to win Sunday’s thrilling Bundesliga basement battle 4-3 at Cologne as visiting striker Nils Petersen wrapped up his hat-trick with a 95th-minute penalty.

A heavy overnight snowfall created testing conditions at bottom side Cologne, but the hosts charged into a 3-0 lead with just half an hour gone.

Lukas Kluenter hit the bottom right-hand corner after eight minutes then French striker Sehrou Guirassy converted a 16th-minute penalty only after the referee struggled to find the spot under the snow.

Freiburg’s USA midfielder Caleb Stanko turned the ball into his own net to make it 3-0 with 29 minutes gone and Cologne were on course for their first win this season.

However, ex-Bayern striker Petersen offered Freburg faint hope by pulling a goal with a superb volley direct from a cross just before half-time.

Then with an hour gone, midfielder Janik Haberer put Freiburg back in the game with a bullet header from a corner.

Petersen equalised in the 90th minute by converting his first penalty and grabbed an unlikely win for Freiburg by drilling home a second spot-kick just before the final whistle after a handball from Guirassy. Freiburg are now 16th in the table, still in the relegation places.