Andre Castro’s 94th-minute strike was his first goal this season
Andre Castro scored in stoppage time to deliver a dramatic comeback win for 10-man Braga at Union Berlin in the Champions League.
The game was finely poised at 2-2 when Castro, 35, came off the bench in 86th minute and slammed home from the edge of the box in the fourth minute of added time.
Braga had trailed 2-0 after 37 minutes with Union forward Sheraldo Becker scoring both for the German club.
Sikou Niakate halved the deficit shortly before half time and Bruma equalised for Union six minutes after the restart with a superb finish.
Castro capped a stunning finale from the Portuguese side as he struck firmly beyond a despairing Frederik Ronnow.
Braga coach Artur Jorge praised the “emotional strength” of his team for the turnaround, but said: “The victory makes me very happy, but it doesn’t take my feet off the ground.
“We have to have balance, and we know that we are in a group with Napoli and Real Madrid.”
It is the second successive game Union Berlin have seen a draw turn into a Champions League defeat this season, having lost 1-0 at Real Madrid when Jude Bellingham scored in the 94th minute.
Union, featuring in their first-ever Champions League campaign, sit bottom of Group C without a point, while Braga are third and level on points with Napoli.
The defeat was further compounded by the fact Union were unable to play at their regular Stadion An der Alten Forsterei, but host the match at the home of rivals Hertha Berlin.
Fans protested at the Olympiastadion by unfurling a banner with a message to Uefa.
Union Berlin fans displayed a banner prior to kick off
Line-ups
Union Berlin
Formation 5-3-2
1Rønnow
18Juranovic5Doekhi23Bonucci4Monteiro Pinto Leite6Gosens
29Tousart33Král19Haberer
27Becker17Behrens
1Rønnow18JuranovicBooked at 90mins5Doekhi23BonucciBooked at 13mins4Monteiro Pinto LeiteBooked at 54mins6GosensSubstituted forRoussillonat 86’minutes29TousartSubstituted forLaïdouniat 63’minutes33Král19HabererSubstituted forAaronsonat 81’minutes27Becker17BehrensSubstituted forVollandat 63’minutesSubstitutes3Jaeckel7Aaronson10Volland20Laïdouni26Roussillon28Trimmel36Kemlein37Schwolow39Stein
Sporting Braga
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Lima Magalhães
17 Mendes 5 Saatçi 4 Niakaté 26 Borja
16Zalazar8Al Musrati
14Djaló21Ricardo Horta7Killed By Himself
23Banza
1Lima Magalhães17MendesSubstituted forde Castro Pereiraat 86’minutes5Saatçi4Niakaté26BorjaSubstituted forMarínat 74’minutes16ZalazarBooked at 72minsSubstituted forJoão Moutinhoat 73’minutes8Al Musrati14DjalóSubstituted forRuizat 83’minutes21Ricardo HortaBooked at 13minsSubstituted forCarvalho Vieiraat 83’minutes7Tué Na Bangna23BanzaBooked at 46minsSubstitutes6José Fonte9Ruiz10Luz Horta12de Sá15Rodrigues de Oliveira18Carvalho Vieira19Marín20Rony Lopes22Afonso Fernandes28João Moutinho88de Castro Pereira91Hornícek
Referee:Srdjan Jovanovic
Attendance:73,445
Live Text
Match ends, 1. FC Union Berlin 2, Sporting Braga 3.
Second Half ends, 1. FC Union Berlin 2, Sporting Braga 3.
Josip Juranovic (1. FC Union Berlin) is shown the yellow card.
Goal! 1. FC Union Berlin 2, Sporting Braga 3. Castro (Sporting Braga) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Bruma.
Matheus (Sporting Braga) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Diogo Leite (1. FC Union Berlin).
Corner, 1. FC Union Berlin. Conceded by Matheus.
Attempt saved. Alex Král (1. FC Union Berlin) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kevin Volland with a headed pass.
Simon Banza (Sporting Braga) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Leonardo Bonucci (1. FC Union Berlin).
Foul by Simon Banza (Sporting Braga).
Danilho Doekhi (1. FC Union Berlin) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Sporting Braga. Castro replaces Joe Mendes.
Substitution, 1. FC Union Berlin. Jérôme Roussillon replaces Robin Gosens.
Attempt missed. Brenden Aaronson (1. FC Union Berlin) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Kevin Volland with a cross.
Substitution, Sporting Braga. Abel Ruiz replaces Álvaro Djaló.
Substitution, Sporting Braga. Vitor Carvalho replaces Ricardo Horta.
Corner, 1. FC Union Berlin. Conceded by Sikou Niakaté.
Substitution, 1. FC Union Berlin. Brenden Aaronson replaces Janik Haberer.
Offside, 1. FC Union Berlin. Janik Haberer tries a through ball, but Sheraldo Becker is caught offside.
2023-10-03 22:52:14
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