The smoke that the Borussia Dortmund fans sent through the Alte Försterei was as yellow as tennis balls. Of course, her team’s game at 1. FC Union Berlin was then interrupted, but a mammoth break, as was the case during the league-wide protest against the German Football League and the investment of investors, was not necessary. After a few minutes the fog cleared and with each swath the contours of two teams that didn’t really want to ignite this season became more visible.
What they both have in common is that they promised each other more, each in their own way. Very few people had expected a relegation battle at 1. FC Union last summer. It is precisely this milieu that the Berliners remain true to after the 0-2 defeat against BVB, who had to adjust their goal towards qualification for the Champions League instead of the championship. In this regard, Dortmund are still in a good position in fourth place, and the victory in Berlin is even more worth it because their closest rival RB Leipzig also scored points in Bochum.
The most recent results, such as the 2:3 against Hoffenheim, had once again sown doubts at BVB and those around them. The squad and especially coach Edin Terzic, who is accused of not developing the right ideas about how this highly gifted team should play football. This wasn’t entirely clear in Berlin either; in the end, only the result counted. “We showed a good reaction in a difficult place. It’s not easy to win here in front of these fans,” said Ian Maatsen.
A lot of things get stuck in the subjunctive
Union was the better team for a long time, especially the first half hour belonged to the Berliners. Lucas Tousart failed after a fine assist from Kevin Volland (6th). Dortmund tried to control the game, but Union started aggressively and purposefully. Again and again at least one Berlin leg disrupted the opponent’s ball circulation, which inevitably led to good moments.
Benedict Hollerbach only had to finish faster once, Tousart had only had to take a different route; it could have been really dangerous. But a lot of things got stuck in the subjunctive, and there was often a lack of precision or the right decision. There was always something that prevented the really big scoring opportunities from arising. “We ran the ball too much instead of looking for depth,” said Union coach Nenad Bjelica.
Union is now competitive again, but has not yet fully recovered. The traumatic experiences from the autumn, when we lost game after game and finally also the long-time successful coach Urs Fischer, still have an impact every now and then. Especially if the games don’t go well from Berlin’s perspective.
In the style of a top keeper
Fischer’s successor Nenad Bjelica plays a different style. More determined forward and with fewer long balls. The changes have meant that Union was at least able to leave the relegation places. Despite the defeat, the lead over the relegation place is eight points. It would have been entirely possible to increase the cushion, but the constant running took energy and so BVB found their way into the game better after about half an hour.
Union won the ball less and less and the running turned into chasing. Following a corner, Nico Schlotterbeck almost took the lead, but Union goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow saved in the style of a top goalkeeper. Schlotterbeck once played for 1 FC Union like his brother Keven. That was in the 2020/21 season. Shortly after his wasted opportunity, Schlotterbeck was able to celebrate taking the lead. Karim Adeyemi moved into the penalty area from outside and his well-placed shot bounced into the goal with the help of the bottom edge of the crossbar. It was Adeyemi’s first goal of the season.
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The half-time score was not entirely undeserved. “We had some good opportunities in front of the goal, where Rönnow made an excellent save. So we didn’t take the lead out of nowhere,” said Dortmund coach Terzic.
The second half can be boiled down to a few key moments. One was certainly the spectacular rescue act by Alexander Meyer, who once again represented the injured Gregor Kobel, against Kevin Volland (56th). The goalkeeper barely deflected the striker’s shot from around ten meters over the crossbar.
In the final phase it was Meyer who saved Dortmund again, this time against Yorbe Vertessen. Almost in return, Ian Maatsen stepped up very robustly against Josip Juranovic. The Berliner remained lying on the halfway line, the Dortmunder sprinted alone towards the opponent’s goal and deliberately pushed in to make it 0-2.
The scene was then checked and the hit remained. The audience was angry, Union coach Bjelica saw it more differently. “You can let it go that way, but you can also call a foul. It was a 50:50 situation. The referee has made a decision and we have to accept that,” he said. This also applied to the final result.
