Frankfurt concedes late, denied Bundesliga win before facing Liverpool in Champions League

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SC Freiburg's Vincenzo Grifo celebrates scoring a goal, during a German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)

SC Freiburg's Vincenzo Grifo celebrates scoring a goal with teammate Igor Matanović, during a German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP) — SC Freiburg's Vincenzo Grifo celebrates scoring a goal, during a German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (Harry Langer/dpa via AP)

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11:44 AM on Sunday, October 19

By CIARÁN FAHEY

BERLIN (AP) — Freiburg’s Vincenzo Grifo scored a brilliant free kick to deny Eintracht Frankfurt a win on Sunday before it faces Liverpool in the Champions League.

Grifo struck the ball from a standing position to send it sailing past Frankfurt’s two-man wall and inside the right post in the 87th minute for Freiburg to draw 2-2.

Mattias Ginter almost snatched the win for Freiburg in stoppage time.

Derry Scherhant had sent the home team ahead in the second minute after Johan Manzambi cut out an attempted pass from Robin Koch to set him up.

Jonathan Burkardt controlled the ball with his right boot and fired it past Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu with his left to equalize in the 18th, then scored again before the break to put Frankfurt ahead.

Grifo replaced Scherhant in the 75th and went on to have the final say.

“It hurts to concede the equalizer so late,” Burkardt said. “We controlled the game and let in two goals from two individual mistakes.”

Frankfurt hosts Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday. Liverpool slumped to its fourth straight defeat in all competitions as Manchester United won 2-1 at Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday.

Touré off the mark

Highly rated Ivorian forward Bazoumana Touré scored his first Bundesliga goal for Hoffenheim in a 3-0 win at St. Pauli.

The 19-year-old Touré joined Hoffenheim from Swedish club Hammarby in the offseason.

Andrej Kramarić sent Touré through to score in off the post after the break.

Kramarić made it 2-0 five minutes later, and substitute Grischa Prömel decided the result in the 79th to lift Hoffenheim to eighth.

It was promoted St. Pauli's fourth consecutive defeat.

Bayern marches on

Bayern Munich defeated previously unbeaten Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in der Klassiker on Saturday to open a five-point lead after seven rounds. Bayern has won every competitive game it has played so far this season.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer