1. FC Union Berlin can continue to dream of a big coup in the Bundesliga. They also managed to win against 1. FSV Mainz 05 – despite the equalizer shortly before the end.
Union Berlin’s high-flyers also won their fifth competitive game this year. Coach Urs Fischer’s team beat 1. FSV Mainz 05 2-1 (1-0) in the Bundesliga thanks to a late goal by Joker Jordan Siebatcheu (84th minute).
Striker Kevin Behrens (32nd) had previously scored the lead for Köpenicker in the sold-out stadium An der Alten Försterei, ex-Unioner Marcus Ingvartsen equalized with a hand penalty after video evidence (79th).
With 39 points, the Unioners have almost reached the 40-point goal that Fischer always cautiously formulated and are increasingly becoming a serious championship candidate. Mainz, on the other hand, remains stuck in the gray midfield of the table.
Union Berlin awake from the start
Four days after the 2-1 victory in the cup against Wolfsburg and the failed change of the Spanish dribbling artist Isco, there was hardly any fatigue at Union from the start, the Berliners were immediately the more active team and had a low shot from Jérôme Roussillon (10. ) the first chance of the game.
Coach Fischer, the table according to his own statement “only after the 34th matchday” interested, also saw a courageous performance from his team, which was rewarded in the 32nd minute: Paul Seguin found Behrens with his cross from the right, who extended the ball from a few meters into the goal one day after his 32nd birthday .
Mainz relies on the counterattack, Union is defensively good
The guests from Mainz mainly concentrated on counterattacking, only after falling behind did Bo Svensson’s team become a little more active. Union was defensive but stable.
The game remained poor even after the change of ends, Roussillon (48th) tested FSV keeper Finn Dahmen with a shot from the second row. Union cleverly managed the narrow lead, the Mainzers lacked the clout a few days after the clear 0: 4 defeat in the cup against Bayern Munich.
The flow of the game suffered from many interruptions in the second half, but both teams continued to search for the way forward. After a handball from Seguin, Mainz came back into the game, but the “iron” hit back.
Union to the top game in Leipzig
1. FC Union Berlin is a guest on matchday 20 for the top game in Leipzig (Saturday, February 11, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.). Mainz have to fight for points at home against Augsburg three hours before.