Berlin, Jan. 23 -- SC Freiburg inched closer to securing automatic qualification for the UEFA Europa League round of 16 after a hard-fought 1-0 home victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday, extending their unbeaten run in continental competition this season.
Julian Schuster's side remained undefeated in the league phase with seven games-five wins and two draws-thanks to Igor Matanovic's late header, which finally broke Maccabi's resilient defense and kept Freiburg on track for a top-eight finish.
Both coaches rotated their lineups, and Freiburg initially struggled to find rhythm against an organized Maccabi defense that packed players behind the ball.
Chances were limited early on, though Matanovic nearly profited from a defensive mix-...