No goals in Köpenick
© Imago
Not a winner in the East Duel, but a felt loser: After the embarrassing appearance when saying goodbye from the Champions League, RB Leipzig against 1. FC Union Berlin in the Bundesliga did not get past 0-0. The guests from Saxony showed a disappointing performance in the stadium on the old forestry and could not have complained about a defeat. Ultimately, however, the iron under their new coach Steffen Baumgart continues to wait for the second win this year.
The Unioners remain in 14th place in the table, RB even improved to fourth place. With only one victory in the league this year, this should be difficult to keep. For a convincing end of the discussions about coach Marco Rose, this idea without Esprit, finesse and, above all, class is certainly not enough.
Before the east duel started on the lawn, the Union fans worked out on the ranks of the concept of the guests they were so frowned upon. “RB is poison for football – independence our antidote! Implement 50+1, ”it said on a long saying band. The 50+1 rule in German professional football indicates that investors cannot take on a majority of votes in the corporations of associations.
With the first ball contact, however, there was silence among the Berlin supporters: quiet protest, for 15 minutes. Both teams hardly delivered the reason for outbursts of emotions anyway. Above all, the guests who want to keep in touch with the Champions League ranks looked treading. Rose had recently changed more than half the team compared to the 0-1 loss in the Champions League against Sturm Graz with six players. Effect: none.
Instead, Union dominated the encounter. Not playful, but with a fight and commitment and wildly powered by coach Baumgart, who kept rekinding the dimensions of his coaching zone. The Berliners looked more dangerous, even if there were practically hardly clear chances. Just in this urge phase, the guests almost took the lead. Xavi Simons’ attempt around five minutes before the break, however, only grazed the post whether the referee had seen an offside position, remained unclear. The big reaction that Coach Rose was hoping for after the immeasurably disappointing appearance in Graz and in view of only one victory this year in the Bundesliga was missing.
And that against a team that also tumbles and is looking for security and, above all, success. Even Baumgart had to take three defeats in the four games under his leadership. But Leipzig got involved in a fight game against the Iron. Also in the second half, in which it initially became calm in the old forestry: the ball was in the Berlin goal: but offside.
On the other hand, RB goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi prevented the Berlin leadership with great effort in a shot by Benedict Hollerbach (68th). The Hungarian then had to parry against Wooeong Jeong (83.) and then dropped the ball in added time – but striker Benjamin Sesko saved the draw on his own goal line.