Union Berlin have ended their minor crisis after three consecutive defeats against their unloved league rivals RB Leipzig. In their last home game of the year, the Köpenickers won 3:1 (0:0) against Bayern's closest rivals to kick off the 14th matchday of the Bundesliga.
Union's streak of wins under the floodlights continues: Union have not lost a home game on a Friday night since September 2019. The Berliners have won seven and drawn two so far. It was RB's third defeat of the Bundesliga season. With 29 points, Leipzig remain in second place for the time being, but Borussia Dortmund could overtake them on Sunday. Union improved to eighth place.
Ex-Leipzig player Oliver Burke (57th minute), Ilyas Ansah (64th) and Tim Skarke (90th +3rd) scored the goals for Berlin in front of 22,012 spectators at the sold-out Stadion An der Alten Försterei. Tidiam Gomis, who had come on as a substitute shortly beforehand, had equalized for Leipzig to make it 1-1 (60').
Game begins with fan protest
The floodlit match began with the almost traditional fan protest by the Union fans, who remained silent for a quarter of an hour. They wanted to express their dislike of the Leipzig model. Union coach Steffen Baumgart, who ordered Diogo Leite, Rani Khedira and Burke into the starting eleven, had shown understanding for this in advance. After all, everyone was allowed to express their opinion clearly.
Union keeper Rönnow prevents early setback
Union had the first chance of the game. After a mistake by Willi Orban, Woo-Yeong Jeong (9') ran free towards the RB goal but drilled the ball wide. Yan Diomande (16) missed Leipzig's first real chance to score, this time playing on the left following Antonio Nusa's injury. Instead, the recovered Johan Bakayoko occupied the left flank.
Union keeper Frederik Rönnow first made a brilliant save from Diomande, who fired over from 13 meters out on the left. Then, two minutes later, he saved a header from Christoph Baumgartner, who was playing his 100th game in an RB shirt.
The Union side, who had not scored against RB in four games, also had their chances. Janik Haberer (26) missed an extended header from Ansah at the far post. At the other end, David Raum (39') sent a free-kick from 18 meters wide of the Union goal. The Iron's best chance came in stoppage time of the first half, when Haberer's shot went just wide of the left post.
The goals came after the break
After the break, the match was again characterized by intense duels. Köpenick invested a little more in attack. After RB were unable to clear the ball, ex-Leipzig man Burke got to the ball on the edge of the box, danced past Castello Lukeba and curled the ball straight into the left-hand corner to give his side the lead. The cheers had barely died down when substitute Gomis equalized with his first touch of the ball. Suddenly it was a rousing game.
The Berlin team had the better end. In a quick and straightforward attack, substitute Christopher Trimmel crossed sensitively into the penalty area, where Ansah (64) headed into the right corner from just over six meters. Skarke made everything clear in stoppage time.
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