Derby County's pre-season programme in Austria concluded with a 3-1 defeat to German side SC Freiburg at Velly Arena on Friday afternoon. The result came after what the club described as a contest that was, for the most part, evenly matched across the full duration of the fixture.
Match summary
Freiburg struck first when Cyriaque Irié produced a clever run and finish to beat Derby goalkeeper Josh Vickers. The Rams responded within minutes when Carlton Morris tapped home after a high-pressing sequence involving Oscar Fraulo, levelling the score.
Derby began the game with the same starting XI that had faced Alfreton Town, named by manager John Eustace, and trialist Ryan Hedges again featured after continuing to train with the squad in Austria. The early stages saw Derby create several openings, with Fraulo prominent throughout as a ball-winner and initiator.
Key moments and chances
- Derby's first notable chance came from a counter led by Bobby Clark, whose pass found Fraulo; the Dane's effort was saved by Mio Backhaus.
- Freiburg opened the scoring through Irié's individual skill, curling the ball past Vickers.
- Derby's pressure paid off quickly as Fraulo recovered possession and Morris finished from close range to equalise.
- Captain Lewis Travis made a vital intervention on the line to stop a goal-bound effort from Mateo Zelic.
- Derby enjoyed a strong spell after the first hydration break; Hedges and Clark saw promising moves cleared, including a clearance off the line by Max Rosenfelder.
As the match progressed into its later stages, Freiburg regained the advantage with a pair of late goals from Vincenzo Grifo and Leon Catak, giving the German visitors a 3-1 win.
"The scoreline perhaps didn’t reflect the flow of the contest, a bout which was largely equal across its 120 minutes."
What this means for Derby
For Derby, the outing provided continued match minutes for players returning to pre-season work under Eustace and offered further opportunity for squad assessment, including the trialist whose involvement has continued on the Austria trip. The club will take positives from sustained periods of control and the pressing that led to the equaliser, while also noting defensive moments that permitted Freiburg to capitalize late on.
| Team | Scorers | Final score |
|---|---|---|
| Derby County | Carlton Morris | 3-1 |
| SC Freiburg | Cyriaque Irié, Vincenzo Grifo, Leon Catak |
The result will now be filed among pre-season performances as Derby return from Austria to continue preparations ahead of the coming campaign.
