Union Berlin celebrated a furious comeback at the start of the new Bundesliga year and stopped its negative trend. Coach Urs Fischer’s team won 3-1 (0-1) against TSG Hoffenheim after falling behind, also thanks to double packer Danilho Doekhi, and jumped to a place in the Champions League.
Defender Doekhi (73’/90′) and Jamie Leweling (90’+6′) ensured Berlin’s success in ice-cold temperatures and the sleet in Köpenick, while the long-injured Ihlas Bebou (44′) scored for Kraichgau in front of 21,747 spectators. Union remains unbeaten in the league after three league games without a win at home, Hoffenheim is stuck in the lower middle of the table after six games without a win.
The Köpenickers only had to accept a “painful” setback in the fight for the European Cup places during the week with the departure of left-back Julian Ryerson to Borussia Dortmund, according to Fischer. The coach relied on Niko Gießelmann in the starting XI. According to media reports, the Croatian Josip Juranovic (27) from the top Scottish club Celtic Glasgow is already approaching Berlin to fill the full-back position. With a transfer fee of around eight million euros plus bonus payments, Juranovic could rise to the record transfer of the Köpenicker.
The Kraichgauer, who tried to control the game early on, set the first accents in the stadium An der Alten Försterei. Youngster Tom Bischof miserably missed the first big chance from a few meters (8th). The Berliners then got into the game better, Janik Haberer’s shot from a promising position was just blocked (20′). The Unioners then neglected the greatest chance of the game: After a handball by Bebou in the penalty area, Siebatcheu shot the penalty kick against the left post (25′).
TSG, who sold striker Georginio Rutter to England during the winter break for a princely 40 million euros, played more actively until the break and paid off. Robert Skov put the ball in the path of Bebou, who has recovered from a knee injury, and who scored from the inside right to give the lead.
After the change of sides, the Berliners vehemently defended themselves against the impending defeat, but Robin Knoche (48th) and captain Christopher Trimmel (55th) missed from a good position. Union then ran tirelessly and equalized through Doekhi, who later scored again.
