Nils Petersen’s second half goal led Freiburg to a huge 1-0 win over 10-man Borussia Monchengladbach at the Schwarzwald-Stadion on Friday.
Freiburg keeps its Europa League hopes alive by moving onto 41 points, one behind sixth and seventh.
Gladbach fails in a bid to go third and remains fourth with 56 points, ahead of Bayer Leverkusen on goal differential.
A second yellow card to Plea was a double curse to Gladbach, who went down a man and now will miss a star forward against Bayern Munich.
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Bayer’s Ramy Bensebaini utilized a slick backheel turn to nutmeg an opponent and send in a cross that was put out for a corner kick.
Freiburg keeper Alexander Schwolow made a tight-angle save on Alassane Plea just after the quarter-hour mark.
Gladbach saw a chance chalked off after two dangerous bids resulted in an offside deflection into the goal.
Florian Neuhaus came close to scoring again when Lars Stindl headed the penultimate move of a fine team play into the six, but he popped it over the frame.
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Gladbach’s second half again settled into the Freiburg final third, but it was a home sub that paid dividends at the other end.
Petersen improved his club record for goals when he nodded Vincenzo Grifo’s free kick home in the 59th.
Stindl wasn’t too far from equalizing with a 17-yard shot at the hour mark, but Plea’s second yellow card damaged Gladbach’s hopes of a comeback.