SC Freiburg climbed to third in the Bundesliga with a 2-0 home win over Union Berlin on Sunday, raising hopes of the club's best-ever league finish.

An own goal from Rani Khedira and a strike by Yuito Suzuki handed Freiburg the victory at Europa-Park-Stadion, leaving them two points behind leaders Bayern Munich after nine rounds of the season.

Freiburg have never finished higher than third in the Bundesliga. Their best campaign came in 1994-95, when they finished third under long-serving coach Volker Finke. They have come close to repeating that feat in recent years, finishing in the top seven in four of the last five seasons, but there is a growing belief around the club that they can go further under current coach Julian Schuster.

Schuster is now in his third campaign in charge, having been appointed in July 2024, and the patience shown in his methods appears to be paying off. Speaking after the win over Union, he praised his side's discipline. "We had to be very patient and yet we remained very confident. We didn't have many opportunities, but we allowed very little ourselves," Schuster said.

Union coach Mauro Lustrinelli had praised Freiburg's attractive style before the match and said it was something he wanted his own side to emulate. On the evidence of Sunday's game, the gap between the two teams remains clear.

Improved goalscoring has been behind Freiburg's strong start. With 20 goals from nine matches, they are averaging 2.22 goals per game this season, up from 1.50 last term. Only Bayern, on 29 goals, and RB Leipzig, on 27, have scored more in the Bundesliga this season.

It is often said that a coach needs three seasons to properly bed in his ideas at a club and build a squad in his image. Schuster is now in that third campaign, and the evidence on the pitch suggests the project is coming together. Freiburg have been close to a breakthrough in recent years, but this season they have added goals to the organisation and patience that have long been hallmarks of the club.

The win over Union extended Freiburg's run to four straight victories in all competitions. They are away to promoted Elversberg after the international break, looking to keep the momentum going as the season heads towards its winter pause.

For Union Berlin, the defeat leaves them to regroup during the break, while Freiburg head into it sitting in the Champions League places and daring to dream of a campaign that could surpass anything in the club's history.