Striker Kevin Behrens almost single-handedly shot Union Berlin 4-1 (2-0) against 1. FSV Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga. Behrens (1st minute/9th) had already scored twice after ten minutes. Union countered the interim connection by Anthony Caci (64th) with the striker’s third goal after 70 minutes. Milos Pantovic made the final score (90th).
On Sunday (08/20/2023), the Unioners got a confident opening win into the season. Kevin Volland and German international Robin Gosens celebrated their debut in the Berlin jersey. The most expensive addition in Union history was substituted after just over an hour, Volland just before the final whistle.
Union clearly superior at the beginning
While still on the bench, both were able to celebrate early: Less than 60 seconds had been played before the ball was in the goal for the first time. Behrens headed in a cross from the left for an early lead. The striker was there again with his head – at 2:0 the cross came from the right. “The national coach has not yet contacted us“, he said with a smile after the game.
Mainz did not come close to being dangerous in front of the hosts’ goal. Union was confident with the lead behind them. The hosts only created great opportunities after about 30 minutes. David Fofana made the bar tremble (33′), Diogo Leite failed seconds before the half-time whistle at the strongly reacting Robin Zentner in the FSV goal.
Mainz fails twice from the point
Behrens almost scored his third goal after the break – but his header from a corner went just wide. About an hour had been played when Mainz came back into the game almost out of nowhere. First Frederik Rönnow prevented the connection with a saved penalty kick – Leite had fouled substitute Brajan Ruda. Then Caci hit the goal with a volley, which is worth seeing for the guests.
But Behrens destroyed the slight glimmer of hope in Mainz: After a cross from Sheraldo Becker, the attacker jumped again and restored the old gap. On the other side, Ludovic Ajorque only hit the crossbar (74th).
The striker remained the unlucky man of the day: After video evidence of a handball by Robin Knoche, the Mainz player missed the second penalty of the day. “It’s a tough story, but it happens”, said FSV coach Bo Svensson. Pantovic made the fourth Union goal after a counterattack with the final whistle.
Union Berlin against Darmstadt, Mainz against Frankfurt
Union Berlin is challenged in Darmstadt on Matchday 2 (Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.). Mainz welcomes the guests from Frankfurt (Sunday, 3.30 p.m.).