BRAGA, Portugal, April 30 (Reuters) - Mario Dorgeles struck a dramatic stoppage-time winner to give Braga a 2-1 win over Freiburg in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday, giving the Portuguese hosts a slender advantage for next week's return fixture in Germany.
Braga, the first Portuguese club to feature in a continental semi-final since 2014, are seeking to reach the Europa League final again, 15 years after their defeat by Porto, while Freiburg have already rewritten club history this campaign after never previously progressing beyond the round of 16.
Cheered on by loud home fans, Braga took an early lead through Demir Ege Tiknaz, who converted a Victor Gomez delivery with a close-range finish in the eighth minute.
The visitors responded in the 16th minute through a composed Vincenzo Grifo finish, following a Braga lapse in midfield that allowed Jan-Niklas Beste to charge clear and provide the assist.
Braga missed a chance to lead at the interval after Philipp Lienhart fouled Gustaf Lagerbielke in the area but Rodrigo Zalazar’s stoppage-time penalty was expertly saved by goalkeeper Noah Atubolu.
A physical second half appeared destined for a stalemate until the dying moments when Dorgeles pounced on a loose ball to score from close range after Atubolu spilled a long-distance strike.
The second leg will be played next Thursday at Stadion am Wolfswinkel, before the final takes place at Istanbul’s Besiktas Park on May 20 where the winners will face either Aston Villa or Nottingham Forest.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; editing by Clare Fallon)
