SC Freiburg made light work of previously unbeaten SV Sandhausen, running out 4-1 winners in Friday night's match-up at the Schwarzwaldstadion.

Sandhausen started the brighter with full-back Philipp Klingmann pushing on and drilling a cross low and hard, but Schwolow gathered comfortably.

Freiburg take early lead

In the ninth minute of the game, the first real opening arose. The home side put a move together down the left hand side which resulted in Maximilian Philipp delivering a cross which was too high for Nils Petersen. Petersen could do no more than to flick the ball on.

Fortunately, Mike Frantz was waiting unmarked at the back post. He took a touch before half-volleying his effort into the ground and over the head of the helpless Sandhasen 'keeper Marco Knaller. 1-0 to the hosts.

Freiburg also created the next real opening. An over-hit cross from Mensur Mujdza found its way to Vincenzo Grifo on the corner of the 18-yard box, he steadied himself before bending a right-footed effort just over the crossbar and onto the roof of the net.

Both sides exchange blows in the battle for supremacy

Freiburg were firmly in control at this stage, but it was Sandhausen who created the next opening. A long ball wasn't dealt with by Immanuel Höhn and Mujdza, and the ball broke kindly for Sandhausen's American striker Andrew Wooten, but he drilled his effort just wide of Alexander Schwolow's near post.

Shortly after, Freiburg had the chance to double their lead. A superb crossed free-kick from Grifo just evaded the on-rushing Höhn who was at full stretch trying to get a toe on the ball. Any sort of touch and the defender would've made it 2-0 to the hosts.

Wooten passes up chance to level, Petersen doubles hosts' lead

Wooten had a glorious chance to level the scores for the visitors. He was played in by Robert Zillner, who broke away leaving Freiburg short at the back, Wooten cut back on his left foot and fired his effort just wide.

Less than a minute later, in the 30th minute, Freiburg doubled their lead. A quick breakaway move saw the referee allow an advantage for a foul in the middle of the park, Amir Abrashi played in Frantz, who turned provider for top goalscorer Nils Petersen, who prodded in on the slide from close distance to make it 2-0.

Freiburg assert their dominance

On 37 minutes, Grifo got in on the act. Philipp found Grifo out on the left and after a step-over or two, he shifted the ball onto his right foot before bending a delicious effort low beyond the reach of Knaller. He wasn't getting a minutes rest, and just moments later Amir Abrashi should have made it 4-0 to Freiburg. He was one-on-one but fired his shot straight at the 'keeper, who saved with his legs.

One would assume Alois Schwartz gave his Sandhausen side a real talking to during half-time as they returned to the field of play a good two or three minutes before Christian Streich's SC Freiburg.

Freiburg carried on where they left off at the end of the first-half, and the ever influential Maxi Philipp caught Sandhausen left-back Leart Paqarada in possession and pulled the ball back across the face of goal to Nils Petersen, whose effort struck the defender before bouncing away to safety.

It was a good ten minutes or so before the next real opening arose. Klingmann burst into the box before pulling the ball back to Kevin Kratz, who, in turn, laid the ball back to Wooten but he blazed his effort well over the bar from the edge of the box.

Freiburg hadn't created an opening since Petersen had his effort blocked just a couple of minutes into the half, so it's fair to say the home side were due an effort on goal. Mike Frantz was brought down about 25 yards from goal on the left side.

The free-kick was awarded and taken by Grifo, in search of his second of the match, who stepped up and whipped his effort onto the crossbar. A fantastic strike which had the 'keeper beaten all ends up, and deserved more.

Grifo gets his reward

The Italian didn't have long to wait before getting a second attempt at goal. Just four minutes later, in the 79th minute, Petersen took a neat little two-touch in between two defenders and was halted in his tracks. Grifo stepped up again, this time from the right hand side, and curled his free-kick sumptuously inside Knaller's near post to put the game to bed and the hosts 4-0 up.

Sandhausen register late consolation

In the 88th minute, Sandhausen grabbed themselves a late consolation. A corner from the right hand side was met by substitute Florian Hübner who bulleted his headed past the helpless Schwolow. In truth, chances in the second-half were few and far between with neither side really creating many opening. Freiburg had done their work in the first-half and Sandhausen heads seemed to drop as the game played out.

Freiburg climb up to second place, and Sandhausen slip to seventh as they suffer their first defeat of the season.