By Sebastian Karkos and Moses Tolkemitt
The Irons turn up and get very, very important points for the Champions League with the 3-0 win against Stuttgart. And finally Sheraldo meets Becker again.
The offensive man scored his debut goal in 2023, his first in 143 days (last in November 2022 against Augsburg). It’s a very important one!
51 minutes: Behrens switches to Roussillon, who immediately crosses to the back post. Becker jumps artistically into the flank – and scores!
The 1:0. However, its use is not at all certain. Becker: “I was ill, very ill. I have to thank all the doctors. Two days ago I was in the hospital until 10pm to check everything. In the end I could play. Now I’m happy, even though I feel a little dizzy, have stomach pains. When you play you forget everything.”
Union reaches two more times.
65 minutes: Bustle in the penalty area. Suddenly Behrens gets the ball and hits it from a short distance into the goal. Referee Badstübner shows offside, but after VAR consultation, the goal counts. Becker is not previously offside. The 2:0.
68 minutes: Behrens marches away on the right side and plays the ball sharply into the penalty area. Stuttgart’s Haraguchi rushes in there – own goal. 3:0!
Haraguchi of all people, who switched to VfB during the winter break and will officially be adopted by Union before the game.
The Irons win in the direction of the premier class and receive support from Hertha, who score a point with a 1-1 draw at European rival Freiburg. Captain Christopher Trimmel: “We’ve come so far that we know that if you want to qualify internationally, you have to win games like this, otherwise things will get tight.”
The people of Stuttgart are far removed from international football. Now there is coach Bruno Labbadia before the end. The ex-Hertha coach only took over from Swabia on December 5th. His record: eleven games, only one win and seven bankruptcies. Clear expulsion record.