BERLIN, March 19 (Xinhua) -- SC Freiburg powered into the Europa League quarterfinals for the first time in the club's history after dismantling KRC Genk 5-1 in their last-16 second leg to overturn a first-leg deficit on Thursday.

Facing a 1-0 loss from the opening encounter, Freiburg imposed themselves early but initially struggled to translate possession into clear chances, with misplaced passes and mistimed runs disrupting their rhythm. The breakthrough arrived in the 19th minute when Matthias Ginter met a precise delivery from Vincenzo Grifo and headed firmly into the net.

Six minutes later, Igor Matanovic finished from close range after sustained pressure inside the box, doubling the advantage and putting the hosts ahead on aggregate. However, the hosts' defensive lapses allowed Genk a route back before the break as Matte Smets scored to level the aggregate at 2-2.

The second half, however, removed any doubt about the outcome. A misplaced pass in the Genk penalty area gifted Grifo a simple finish in the 53rd minute, marking a significant personal milestone as he became Freiburg's record scorer. Within three minutes, Yuito Suzuki capitalised on another defensive error to restore a commanding cushion.

With Genk forced to chase the game, Freiburg shifted to a counterattacking approach and continued to exploit the spaces left behind. Their fifth goal arrived in the 79th minute when Maximilian Eggestein rounded off a swift move to complete the rout.

Freiburg will now face Celta Vigo in the quarterfinals, with the first leg scheduled at home before the return fixture in Galicia a week later.

"We are very, very happy and very, very proud of what we have achieved and that we can continue travelling together with all our fantastic fans," Freiburg coach Julian Schuster said. ■