In a dramatic Europa League semi-final first leg, Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu delivered a heroic penalty save, but it wasn't enough to prevent a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Braga on Thursday night.

The Bundesliga side found themselves on the back foot early, as Braga's Demir Ege Tıknaz pounced in the 8th minute. The goal came after Victor Gomez recovered Jordy Makengo's clearance from Rodrigo Zalazar's cross, setting up Tıknaz to slide the ball home from close range.

Freiburg responded with composure, leveling the score just eight minutes later. Jan-Niklas Beste delivered a precise cross to Vincenzo Grifo, who showed great determination to beat the goalkeeper to the ball and slot it home in the 16th minute.

The hosts were handed a golden opportunity to regain the lead just before halftime when Philipp Lienhart was penalized for a foul on Gustaf Lagerbielke inside the box. However, Atubolu rose to the occasion, stretching every inch to deny Zalazar's spot-kick and keep Freiburg level.

Despite the young goalkeeper's heroics, Braga struck the decisive blow in stoppage time. Mario Dorgeles fired home an unstoppable effort, leaving Atubolu with no chance as the Portuguese side snatched a crucial advantage heading into next week's return leg in Germany.

In the other semi-final clash, Nottingham Forest edged out Aston Villa 1-0 in an all-English battle, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the tournament.