Club Friendly· Season 2026
EHC Freiburg came from 1-0 down to beat EHC Basel 3-2 in overtime in a pre-season friendly at Echte Helden Arena, securing their first win of pre-season preparations.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
Basel struck first. The Swiss visitors took a 1–0 lead into the first intermission, capitalising on a period in which Freiburg struggled to find rhythm. The exact goal-scorer and minute have not been published by the clubs at the time of writing.
Freiburg responded in the second period, levelling the score at 1–1 with a goal that gave them a foothold in the contest.
The third period saw both teams trade strikes. Each side scored once, leaving the game deadlocked at 2–2 after 60 minutes and sending the friendly to 3-on-3 overtime.
Freiburg found the decisive goal in the extra period, completing the comeback from 1–0 down to secure a 3–2 victory in front of their home crowd.
The Turning Point
Basel's first-period opener had the visitors in control, but Freiburg's ability to respond early in the second period reset the contest. The momentum shifted decisively in Freiburg's favour after they tied the game, and the winning goal in overtime — scored after Basel had been unable to convert their own chances — capped the turnaround.
Key Performers
Christian Schneider (Freiburg) — The Freiburg goaltender made key saves to keep his side in the game, particularly after Basel's early goal, and held firm through the third period to force overtime.
Olafr Schmidt (Basel) — Basel's netminder was solid throughout regulation but could not prevent the decisive strike in the extra session.
Player of the Match: Not officially designated. Freiburg's collective response after falling behind, and the overtime goal-scorer, deserve the nod.
By the Numbers — Interpreted
The SIHF (Swiss Ice Hockey Federation) Game Center period breakdown shows a tale of three phases: Basel controlled the opening frame (1–0), Freiburg edged the middle period (1–0 to level), and the teams traded blows in the third (1–1) before Freiburg struck in OT (1–0).
Freight train-friendly contests between these cross-border neighbours have historically produced goals — all four previous H2H meetings have gone over 2.5 goals, averaging 6.25 per game. Friday's 3–2 overtime result, while lower-scoring than the 6–3 and 4–2 encounters in recent years, continued that trend.
What It Means
Freiburg notch their first pre-season win after two opening defeats (at ESV Kaufbeuren 21 Aug, vs Bietigheim Steelers 23 Aug). The DEL2 side have two more warm-up fixtures remaining: a home match against Swiss League finalists HC La Chaux-de-Fonds on 4 September (19:30), followed by the season opener in the DEL2 on 18 September.
Basel, who opened their pre-season with a 5–2 home win over EHC Arosa on 22 August, now sit at 1–1 in pre-season. The Swiss League side face EHC Olten at home on 1 September before their regular season begins.
Verdict
A solid workout for both sides in the final stretch of pre-season. Freiburg showed resilience coming from behind against a well-organised Basel side, and the win provides useful momentum ahead of the DEL2 campaign. Basel will take encouragement from their first-period performance but will want to sharpen their finishing after letting the lead slip.
Freiburg and Basel have met 4 times — Freiburg won 3, Basel won 1, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2021. Freiburg leads the head-to-head with 3 victories from 4 meetings. A combined 25 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 6.25 per match (15 for the home side, 10 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 3 matches (75%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 4 games (100%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 6–3 in 2022.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 30 Aug 2026