SOCCER: Freiburg beat 10-man Braga 3-1 to reach Europa League final

FREIBURG, Germany — Freiburg advanced to the Europa League final after a 3-1 home victory over 10-man Braga on Thursday secured a 4-3 aggregate win, with Lukas Kübler scoring twice to send the German club into its first European final.

Freiburg, who are chasing their first major trophy in club history, will face Aston Villa in Istanbul on May 20. Aston Villa advanced after defeating Nottingham Forest 4-1 on aggregate in the other semifinal.

Braga’s challenge collapsed early when they were reduced to 10 men in the seventh minute. Freiburg broke through the defensive line, sending Jan-Niklas Beste through on goal, and Mario Dorgeles brought him down to stop the attack, earning a straight red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

The hosts took a fortunate lead in the 19th minute. An attempted clearance struck Kübler and deflected off the post before rolling into the net, giving Freiburg the advantage on the night.

Freiburg doubled their lead just before halftime through Johan Manzambi. Receiving the ball outside the penalty area, he was given space by Braga’s defense and unleashed a powerful curling strike into the far corner.

Braga nearly responded on the brink of halftime. Victor Gómez rounded goalkeeper Noah Atubolu, but his shot struck the post. Rodrigo Zalazar’s follow-up was blocked by defender Philipp Lienhart, keeping Freiburg in control.

After the break, Freiburg continued to press. Manzambi forced Braga goalkeeper Lukas Horníček into a diving save as the German side looked to capitalize on their numerical advantage.

The tie appeared settled in the 72nd minute when Vincenzo Grifo delivered a free kick into the box and Kübler rose highest to head home his second goal of the match.

However, Braga set up a tense finish when Pau Víctor scored from close range 11 minutes from time, briefly reviving hopes of a comeback.

In the closing minutes, Braga pushed forward aggressively, forcing Atubolu into a key late save from Gabri Martínez. Despite the pressure, Freiburg held firm as their fans prepared to celebrate a historic qualification, with security struggling to contain pitch invasions after the final whistle. -Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Ken Ferris/Reuters