Goals, gratitude, and a thumbs-up: Keisuke Goto’s memorable evening in Freiburg

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SC Freiburg head coach Julian Schuster has lavished praise on Japanese striker Keisuke Goto following Sunday evening’s dramatic 2-1 Bundesliga victory over FC Schalke 04. The 21-year-old summer signing emerged as the matchwinner after coming off the bench, heading home the decisive goal as Freiburg overcame a numerical disadvantage to reclaim top spot in the Bundesliga table.

Goto entered the match in the 69th minute, five minutes after Yuito Suzuki’s dismissal had left Freiburg with ten men. Schuster’s side nevertheless continued looking for opportunities to attack and eventually found their winner through two substitutes.

Vincenzo Grifo, introduced in the 83rd minute, delivered a beautifully weighted cross from the left flank for Goto to head home just two minutes later. The goal sparked jubilant celebrations at the Europa-Park-Stadion and secured another important Bundesliga victory for Freiburg.

Julian Schuster praises Keisuke Goto’s integration at Freiburg

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Schuster was asked how Goto was adapting to life in Freiburg following his reported €10 million summer transfer from Anderlecht. The Freiburg coach acknowledged that the presence of fellow Japanese players had helped the young striker settle in, but he was particularly eager to highlight Goto’s dedication and tactical contribution.

“Yeah it definitely helps that he has some countrymen alongside him in the locker room who can support him,” Schuster replied. “What I find remarkable about him, and I think everybody saw that today, is the way that he works. Every player stationed behind him is grateful because he takes care of a lot and helps you win your duels.”

Mio Backhaus checks in on Freiburg’s Japanese contingent

Schuster’s comments about Freiburg’s Japanese contingent were particularly relevant given a small scene that unfolded in the mixed zone after the match. Japanese journalists were out in considerable numbers at the Europa-Park-Stadion, with Goto conducting several interviews in his native language. Schalke midfielder Satoshi Tanaka was also busy speaking to the assembled Japanese media.

Amid the conversations, Freiburg goalkeeper Mio Backhaus made an appearance to check whether anyone needed assistance. Backhaus, whose mother is Japanese, has already assumed something of an unofficial interpreter’s role at Freiburg. Get German Football News covered an amusing incident during Freiburg’s preseason training camp in which Backhaus stepped in to help after an AI-powered simultaneous translation system encountered difficulties.

This time, however, his services were not required. Goto and his fellow Japanese speakers were perfectly comfortable conducting their interviews in their native language. Realising that everything was running smoothly, Backhaus simply offered an approving thumbs-up and left them to it.

It was a brief but rather charming illustration of the support network Schuster had just been describing. Freiburg’s Japanese contingent, which also includes Suzuki and Rihito Yamamoto, has grown considerably over the summer. The support available to Goto off the pitch complements the dedication Schuster sees from him on it.

“The lad is full of hunger,” Schuster continued. “He takes a lot on and also accepts a lot to the proper degree while also remaining curious about things and asks a lot of questions. Things are starting to gel on the pitch with him and the assistant coaches. He utilizes every second to get better. It’s a pleasure for us as a coaching staff to have lads like him and we’ll surely have a lot more fun with him.”

Keisuke Goto builds on previous substitute appearances

Goto’s decisive contribution against Schalke was hardly his first significant intervention from the bench this season. As detailed in our comprehensive Freiburg preseason tactical preview, Schuster experimented with using Goto alongside Igor Matanovic in a two-striker formation during preparation.

The Japanese forward subsequently demonstrated his effectiveness as a substitute during Freiburg’s UEFA Conference League qualifying encounters against Scottish side Motherwell. In the first leg, Goto replaced Matanovic and headed home a Grifo corner in stoppage time. The partnership proved productive once again in the return fixture, with Goto scoring Freiburg’s fourth goal in a 4-1 victory.

Sunday’s winner therefore marked another important step in the youngster’s development. Once again, Schuster could introduce a different attacking option without abandoning Freiburg’s established principles.

Goto’s ability to occupy defenders, compete for balls and provide a physical presence in the penalty area proved particularly valuable against Schalke, when Freiburg needed to maintain an attacking threat despite playing with ten men.

The youngster has already demonstrated that he can deliver decisive moments from the bench. His coach’s remarks suggest that Freiburg are equally enthusiastic about everything he contributes between those moments.

GGFN | Peter Weis