DThe score in the “An der Alten Försterei” stadium has always been paid little attention, the spectators sing and clap, no matter how hopeless their 1. FC Union Berlin is behind. Against FC Bayern this phenomenon could be observed again. The last minutes of the first half were running when a deafening noise came from the stands. As if the game was in particular swaying back and forth.
Lo and behold, suddenly the ball was actually in the Munich goal. Shot inside by Nico Gießelmann, yes, but also roared inside by the audience. Over 16,000 had come, and for the first time in a long time, so many fans were allowed. Union continues to strive for full capacity utilization, the stadium should soon be sold out again, according to the will of those responsible.
In this madhouse, Bayern briefly lost their bearings, once again a Berliner met in the person of Sheraldo Becker, but his goal did not count because of an offside position. The half-time whistle saved Bayern like a battered boxer at that moment, but this phase deceived the course of the fight so far.
Berlin fighting spirit alone was not enough
Bayern dominated and even set the supposed knockout in the form of three goals, but the hosts refused to go down. Fighting spirit in full honor, but Berlin’s stamina was not enough for three points, Bayern won 5-2 after an eventful 90 minutes. After two draws in the previous season, Bayern was able to defeat the Berlin upstart and maintain the lead in the table.
“We are really happy that we were able to show the desired reaction,” said Bayern’s Kotrainer Dino Toppmöller after the game: “We knew that the opponents are very strong at home, that it won’t be easy for us with the crowd. We had the game under control for the first 30 minutes, then we invite the opponent to hit the next goal. I think overall we can be satisfied with the performance. “
There was no sign of uncertainty among the Munich team in the early stages, Bayern played as if the 0: 5 had never happened during the week at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Leroy Sané shot flat past the goal (7th), Paul Jaeckel illegally blocked another attempt with his elbow. Robert Lewandowski converted the due penalty to 0: 1 (15th). The top scorer also scored the second Munich goal, this time with a free kick (23rd).
Bayern had a lot of possession, Union just ran after them. The Berliners were so busy closing the rooms in their own half that they could hardly achieve anything offensive. They were not dangerous, unlike Bayern, who were out for the third goal. Sané failed at first because of the strongly reacting goalkeeper Andreas Luthe from Berlin, but a few moments later the national player marked the 0: 3 (34th) on preparatory work by Thomas Müller.
With a few heavy blows, the master had sent 1. FC Union to the ground and apparently done his day’s work. But in the style of Rocky Balboa, the Berliners did not want to admit their defeat, with puffy eyes they rose and shared their part. Gießelmann’s follow-up hit set new, unimagined forces free.
Union flexed its muscles after the break, especially Sheraldo Becker pestered Bayern’s defender with the vehemence of a middleweight. His first attempt after the break was still safe, on the second Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had to use all his skills. In between, Neuer had to save against Timo Baumgartl in dire straits.
Suddenly the Bavarian sovereignty was gone, simply sung away by a whipped audience. The audience felt that a second Berlin goal could possibly be part of a strange afternoon, but the illusion was suddenly destroyed by Kingsley Coman (59th). He pounded the ball dryly into the goal, a shot the hardness of a right straight. Union still had not enough of this exchange of blows, Julian Ryerson shortened just a few seconds after his substitution with the first ball contact to 2: 4.
The preparatory work came from Kevin Behrens, who came on with Ryerson. Now the audience freaked out completely, so much unruliness they rewarded with uninterrupted, minute-long chants. But the players slowly but surely ran out of air. So often they had been lying on the ground, again and again they had managed to get up, but at some point the precipitation is final. That came through the busy Thomas Müller, his powerful shot in the corner should be the decisive punch in a duel that gave the fans in the “Alte Försterei” so much joy that they celebrated their team on the lap of honor as if they had just sent Bayern in the dust.
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