In a thrilling Europa League semi-final first leg, Braga snatched a dramatic 2-1 victory over Freiburg thanks to Mario Dorgeles' injury-time strike, giving the Portuguese side a narrow edge to take to Germany for the return fixture.

The match exploded into life early on, with Demir Ege Tiknaz slotting home from close range in the eighth minute to give Braga a dream start in their first European semi-final in 15 years. Despite being forced into multiple changes due to injuries, manager Carlos Vicens' side showed no signs of rustiness, roaring out of the gates at their Estadio Municipal home.

However, Freiburg hit back swiftly. Just eight minutes after falling behind, playmaker Vincenzo Grifo produced a cool finish to meet Jan-Niklas Beste's pinpoint cross, leveling the score and silencing the home crowd.

The frantic opening quarter-hour gave way to a more measured contest until just before halftime, when VAR intervened. Philipp Lienhart's foul on Gustaf Lagerbielke handed Braga a penalty, but German goalkeeper Noah Atubolu proved equal to the task, diving to his right to tip Rodrigo Zalazar's spot-kick to safety.

As the second half unfolded, Vicens rolled the dice with attacking substitutions, pushing for a winner. The gamble paid off in spectacular fashion two minutes into added time. Atubolu spilled Vitor Carvalho's effort, and Dorgeles was on hand to bundle the ball home from close range, sparking wild celebrations among the Braga faithful.

With the slender advantage secured, Braga now turn their attention to the return leg in Germany, knowing a place in the May 20 final in Istanbul is at stake. They will face either Nottingham Forest or Aston Villa, with Forest holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg of that all-Premier League affair.