The first international break of the season is here – and it’s longer than ever before. SC Freiburg’s 12 internationals will spend almost three weeks away with their respective national teams. Germany, Austria and Croatia will begin their Nations League campaigns, while the Germany and Switzerland U21 sides will be competing in the European Championship qualifying round. Japan will face South American opposition at the KIRIN Cup, DR Congo will be in action in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, and Switzerland’s U20s will play two matches in the U20 Elite League.

SC international fixtures at a glance:

Germany (Philipp Treu, Derry Scherhant, Yannik Engelhardt and Max Rosenfelder):

Thu, 24th Sept | 20:45 CEST | Nations League | Amsterdam | Netherlands 1-1 Germany

• Philipp Treu started on what was his senior debut for Germany. Yannik Engelhardt later came on in the 80th minute to also earn his first senior cap for Germany.

Sun, 27th Sept | 20:45 CEST | Nations League | Augsburg | Germany 0-1 Greece

• No SC players featured against Greece.

Thu, 1st Oct | 20:45 CEST | Nations League | Munich | Germany 2-0 Serbia

• Derry Scherhant celebrated his international debut for Germany, playing 77 minutes.
• Phillipp Treu also featured in the starting XI and played the full 90 minutes.
• Yannik Engelhardt was part of the matchday squad but did not make an appearance.

Sun, 4th Oct | 20:45 CEST | Nations League | Thessaloniki, Greece | Greece 0-0 Germany

• Derry Scherhant started and assisted Jonathan Burkardt's goal that was eventually ruled out by VAR. He came off in the 83rd minute.
• Philipp Treu also made the starting XI again and played the full game.
• Yannik Engelhardt wasn't called upon.

Germany U21s (Mio Backhaus):

Sat, 26th Sept | 18:00 CEST | European Championship qualifying | Riga, Latvia | Latvia 0-4 Germany

• Mio Backhaus started in goal and kept a clean sheet.

Wed, 30th Sept | 18:00 CEST | European Championship qualifying | Ta’ Qali, Malta | Malta 1-4 Germany

• Mio Backhaus did not feature in Germany's convincing win over Malta.

Tue, 6th Oct | 18:00 CEST | European Championship qualifying | Bielefeld | Germany – Georgia

Austria (Philipp Lienhart):

Thu, 24th Sept | 20:45 CEST | UEFA Nations League | Linz, Austria | Austria 3-1 Israel

• Philipp Lienhart started and played the full 90 minutes as Austria got their UEFA Nations League campaign off to winning ways. 

Sun, 27th Sept | 18:00 CEST | UEFA Nations League | Vienna, Austria | Austria 3-1 Kosovo

• Lienhart was not part of the matchday squad in Vienna.

Thu, 1st Oct | 20:45 CEST | UEFA Nations League | Dublin, Ireland | Ireland 2-2 Austria

• Austria came back from a two-goal deficit to secure a point.
• Philipp Lienhart played the full 90 minutes at centre-back.

Sun, 4th Oct | 18:00 CEST | UEFA Nations League | Pristina, Kosovo | Kosovo 1-1 Austria

• Lienhart didn't feature.

Croatia (Igor Matanović):

Sat, 26th Sept | 20:45 CEST | UEFA Nations League | Prague, Czechia | Czechia 1-2 Croatia

• Igor Matanović started and provided the assist for Luka Modrić's opening goal, before being taken off in the 63rd minute.

Tue, 29th Sept | 20:45 CEST | UEFA Nations League | Seville, Spain | Spain 4-1 Croatia

• The forward was not named in the squad for Croatia's game against the World Cup winners.

Sat, 3rd Oct | 18:00 CEST | UEFA Nations League | Rijeka, Croatia | Croatia 0-7 England

• Igor Matanović came on at the break.

Tue, 6th Oct | 20:45 CEST | UEFA Nations League | Split, Croatia | Croatia – Spain

Japan (Yuito Suzuki and Keisuke Goto):

Thu, 24th Sept | 12:05 CEST | KIRIN Challenge Cup | Miyagi, Japan | Japan 3-1 Uruguay

• Yuito Suzuki started and was later taken off in the 77th minute. Keisuke Goto was not included in the matchday squad.

Mon, 28th Sept | 12:25 CEST | KIRIN Challenge Cup | Hiroshima, Japan | Japan 2-1 Venezuela

• Goto started the game and played the whole first half, while Suzuki did not feature for the side.

Thu, 1st Oct | 12:10 CEST | KIRIN Cup Soccer | Yokohama, Japan | Japan 0-0 Ecuador (5-4 on pens.)

• The friendly ended 0-0 after normal time. 
• The subsequent penalty shoot-out was won by the Japanese.
• Yuito Suzuki was in the starting line-up and played for 68 minutes.
• Keisuke Goto did not make an appearance.

Mon, 5th Oct | 12:30 CEST | KIRIN Cup Soccer | Tokyo, Japan | Japan – Panama or New Zealand

DR Congo (Jordy Makengo):

Thu, 24th Sept | 18:00 CEST | Africa Cup of Nations qualifying | Kinshasa, DR Congo | DR Congo 2-0 Equatorial Guinea

• Jordy Makengo was not part of the matchday squad.

Mon, 28th Sept | 18:00 CEST | Africa Cup of Nations qualifying | Harare, Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe 1-2 DR Congo

• Makengo was not part of the squad for this game.

Fri, 2nd Sept | 14:00 CEST | Friendly | Johannesburg, South Africa | DR Congo 0-2 Uganda

• Makengo started to make his debut.

Mon, 5th Oct | 14:00 CEST | Friendlies | Johannesburg, South Africa | DR Congo -– Uganda

Switzerland U21s (Bruno Ogbus):

Fri, 25th Sept | 19:30 CEST | European Championship qualifying | Lugano, Switzerland | Switzerland 5-0 Luxembourg

• Bruno Ogbus started and played the full 90 minutes at centre-back.

Tue, 29th Sept | 17:00 CEST | European Championship qualifying | Throttarvöllur, Iceland | Iceland 5-1 Switzerland

• Ogbus played the full game for his nation.

Tue, 6th Oct | 19:00 CEST | European Championship qualifying | Orléans, France | France – Switzerland

Switzerland U20s (Rouven Tarnutzer):

Sat, 26th Sept | 12:00 CEST | U20 Elite League | Albufeira, Portugal | Czechia 5-2 Switzerland

• Rouven Tarnutzer was subbed on in the 60th minute. 

Tue, 29th Sept | 12:00 CEST | U20 Elite League | Faro, Portugal | Portugal 1-2 Switzerland

• Tarnutzer started the game and played 60 minutes before coming off.

Photo: SC Freiburg