analysis
Robin Knoche and a tactical move by Urs Fischer brought Union the decisive victory in the group stage of the Europa League. In the intermediate round, the Berliners could meet FC Barcelona.
0:1, 0:1, 1:0, 1:0, 1:0, 1:0 – this series of numbers reads like a binary code, but it is the summarized results of 1. FC Union in the Europa League . After losing two opening games against St. Gilles and Braga, the Berliners were already on the verge of elimination, but they celebrated their comeback in the fight for second place in the group with victories against Malmö.
Urs Fischer’s team refined the home win against direct competitor Braga on Thursday against Royale Union St. Giloise with the fourth 1-0 in a row. Union Berlin is in the intermediate round of the Europa League. “Incredible! Scored 12 points with four goals,” said Fischer. It couldn’t be more efficient – since the Europa League was introduced, no team has managed to do it.
Union Berlin is in the intermediate round of the Europa League
Union Berlin has moved into the second round of the Europa League. In the evening, the Berliners won 1-0 at Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium. Sven Michel became the man of the evening with his winning goal.more
Knoche is Union’s European hero
No wonder a defender became an iron European hero. Robin Knoche’s penalties against Malmö and Braga were worth a total of six points. Against the Belgians from St. Gilloise, the defender headed, tackled and directed in front of the penalty area.
In all competitions, Union has kept ten clean sheets this season. It would be hard to imagine without bones. In the crucial minutes of the game in Belgium, he blocked a shot just before the line that would likely have seen Union eliminated from the Europa League. Knoche stood like a back wall and kept his team in the game.
Urs Fischer said: “We had good phases, but also moments when we weren’t up to par.” He could always rely on Bone.
Union swims
Many opponents in the Bundesliga complain that it is almost impossible to create chances when Union is in the lead. The Belgians didn’t seem to have heard about it and kept putting Union under pressure. With dribbling, they managed to overplay Union’s tight midfield pressing. There was room for chances in the dangerous spaces between the five-man chain and midfield.
Already in the first half, Union goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow was injured in a rescue attempt after one of these chances. Substitute goalkeeper Lennart Grill missed twice and gave the Belgians a good chance to equalize.
The longer the game lasted, the more dangerous the hosts became. “In the end, the team deserved to stay in the Europa League,” commented Fischer. Sven Michel added: “It was a super intense game, after 60 minutes we were all exhausted.”
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Fischer’s move with Michel works
It was attacker Michel who scored the 1-0 for the Köpenickers in the eighth minute. After a technically demanding lob pass, which strike partner Sheraldo Becker spooned over the defense into the penalty area with his outside instep, Michel jumped off and steered the ball into the right corner of the goal with his outstretched foot against the direction the goalkeeper was walking.
The goal was so nice that in the future Michel will probably be mentioned in the same breath as Silvio, Marcel Hartel and Andreas Voglsammer, who each won the goal of the month with dream goals. He was overjoyed that he was able to help the team with his goal, said Michel, who Uefa named “Man of the Match” after the game.
His starting eleven was a move by Urs Fischer, which worked out perfectly. Instead of outplaying Jordan Siebatcheu and Kevin Behrens, who scored against Gladbach last Sunday, Fischer relied on a different type of player in Michel. The 32-year-old is not a wall player for long balls, but likes to dodge on the wings and is generally on the move a lot. Together with the agile Becker, Michel ensured a lot of movement on the offensive. With Michel’s entry, Fischer changed his side’s offensive play and robbed the Royale Union defenders of the grip.
World clubs are now waiting
Perhaps the numerous repetitions of Becker’s and Michel’s co-production compensated for the canceled trip to Europe for some fans who stayed at home. Because Union could not sell guest tickets and the venue Leuven prohibited recognizable Unioners from entering the city, only a few Berliners were in the stadium.
After the first half, about 5 of them made themselves felt and loudly cheered for Union. 13 minutes before the final whistle they were led out of the improvised guest block.
However, thanks to the team’s victory, they can already look forward to more trips: in the intermediate round, the eight third-placed teams from the Champions League are waiting, including clubs like FC Barcelona, FC Sevilla and Juventus Turin. “Now we’re excited to see who will be drawn,” said Rani Khedira.
Broadcast: rbb24 Inforadio, November 4th, 2022, 8 a.m
