Ten-man Motherwell gave last season's Europa League runners-up Freiburg a real fright at Fir Park before the Bundesliga side ultimately won by a two-goal margin in this Conference League play-off tie.
On a night of confusing VAR delays, a fabulous early goal from Regan Charles-Cook - deftly touching in Emmanuel Longelo's fine cross - had the home crowd rocking after just two minutes.
In their first competitive match of the season, the stunned Germans looked a little rusty but didn't take long to find their feet.
Matthias Ginter - who won 51 caps for Germany - headed in an excellent cross from Derry Scherhant to equalise midway through the first period.
The goal was only confirmed after the first of two lengthy VAR checks.
The second followed the award to Freiburg of a second-half penalty, expertly converted by defender Ginter for his second of the match. He was held a long time before being allowed to take the kick, however, after the Romanian referee Radu Petrescu was called over to the TV monitor.
Centre-back Martin Moormann was then sent off before Ginter put Freiburg ahead, with Motherwell forced to play the remaining 25 minutes with 10 men.
As well as the Premiership side did to stay competitive, Freiburg realistically put the tie beyond Motherwell when substitute Keisuke Goto headed in from a corner with the last act of the game.
What looked like a tough-enough assignment before a ball was kicked now seems like mission impossible for new head coach Alfred Johansson.
His side head to Germany next week aiming to pull off one of the biggest shocks in European football at the Europa-Park Stadion next Thursday.