With a goal in the seventh minute of added time, 1. FC Union Berlin beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 (0-1) and thus defended the top spot in the Bundesliga.
Central defender Danilho Doekhi headed in for the much-celebrated goal for the Berliners. Kevin Behrens had previously equalized in the 79th minute thanks to a goalkeeping error after Nico Elvedi put Gladbach ahead.
Union, who lost 2-1 at VfL Bochum last week, still have one point more than FC Bayern Munich. After their fourth defeat of the season, Gladbach remain in the middle of the table with 16 points.
Bundesliga debut for Puchacz
Three days after the important 1-0 win in the Europa League against Sporting Braga, Union coach Urs Fischer changed his starting XI slightly. Tymoteusz Puchacz, who came to Köpenick from Trabzonspor in the summer, made his Bundesliga debut. The 23-year-old Pole replaced captain Christopher Trimmel as left midfielder in front of a back three. Andras Schäfer played in midfield instead of Morten Thorsby.
On his 46th birthday, Gladbach’s Daniel Farke largely gave the team that had lost 3-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt the previous day a chance. However, he was forced to make a change because Kouadio Koné hummed a yellow card suspension. Nathan N’Goumou played for him in a team in which numerous regulars were out due to injury.
Janik Haberer, who had scored both goals in the 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund in the previous home game, almost scored again against the other Borussia. After a cross from Julian Ryerson, the Unioner got a shot from about ten meters and a central position, but Joe Scally blocked it (7th minute).
Since the Berliners had come to the top of the table with little possession of the ball, the Gladbachers initially tried a passive approach. But it could hardly have been the plan to rarely get into dangerous situations by counterattacking. The first chance resulted from a free kick by Alassane Pléa, which Union goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow deflected over the crossbar with a powerful move (23′).
Elvedi scores after a corner kick
A standard situation then also led to the visitors taking the lead. Nico Elvedi headed in after a corner kick from Lars Stindl. He didn’t even have to jump, he almost had to duck. Three Berliners jumped under the ball in front of him (33′).
The ball had been in the Gladbach goal four minutes earlier, but the goal was rightly disallowed as Sheraldo Becker deflected a shot from Rani Khedira into the net with his arm.
Union reported before the break with a sharp cross from Becker, which Schäfer came to the second post. However, Ramy Bensebaini blocked the shot with a tackle.
Stable defense of Borussia
The second half remained uneventful for a long time. Gladbach, who had conceded twelve goals in the four previous Bundesliga games, showed a concentrated and disciplined defensive performance.
The Berliners regained possession of the ball, but there were initially no clear chances or a result of a pass in which an assistant referee did not raise the flag despite being clearly offside.
Mistakes by Sippel
A mistake by Tobias Sippel then allowed Union to equalize. The substitute for the injured goalkeeper Yann Sommer did not hit the ball after a cross from Diogo Leite, but in the face of substitute Kevin Behrens, who headed the 1-1 (79th).
After a header from Christopher Trimmel, who was also a substitute, the Alte Försterei was upside down for the first time. But the Austrian’s goal was conceded by the video assistant because of an offside position (86th).
Doekhi ensures happiness in Köpenick
However, the team from Köpenick was now clearly superior and pressed for the winning goal, which then saved the lead in the table at the last second and caused the old forester’s house to tremble. The Dutchman Doekhi brought happiness to Köpenicker with his first goal of the season after a cross from Jamie Leweling.
Union during the week in the Europa League
Before it continues nationally, Union Berlin has to face against on the last day of the Europa League group stage Royal Union Saint-Gilloise (Thursday, November 3rd, 2022, 9 p.m.).
On the 13th matchday of the Bundesliga, Borussia Mönchengladbach opens the round against VfB Stuttgart (Friday, November 4th, 2022, 8:30 p.m.). Two days later, Union is required away to Leverkusen (3:30 p.m.).
