analysis
1. FC Union Berlin wins against Gladbach in the last second. The mentality of the team brings her late three points again. But the Köpenickers also prove it to their critics in terms of football.
Andrea Pirlo – arguably one of the best midfielders of the past 20 years – once said: “You play football with your head, your feet are just the tools.” Of course, he wasn’t referring to powerful headers like Danilho Doekhi’s winning goal for Union Berlin in the seventh minute of added time in the Bundesliga game against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Union Berlin turns the game against Gladbach and regains the top of the table
Union Berlin has regained the top of the table. The Berliners turned an exciting game against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Sunday afternoon and won 2-1. The winning goal came from Danilho Doekhi in the 97th minute.more
Union wins with brains
No, Pirlo said that sporting success is not possible without strategic thinking, a good attitude and mentality. Anyone looking for an explanation as to why the Irons were able to turn the game against Gladbach after falling behind will find part of the answer in statements by Union Rani Khedira and Gladbach’s Christoph Kramer.
“We enjoy playing every three days,” said Khedira. Kramer, on the other hand, complained of “heavy legs”. The hosts ran almost eight kilometers more than the guests from the Lower Rhine. Union played three games more than Borussia this month. “I think it was a brutal act of willpower,” added Khedira.
Union can also backlog
Basically, the competition from 1. FC Union – who regained the lead in the table that Bayern Munich had taken on Saturday – should take a look at the statistical values of the game. Because the team of coach Urs Fischer refuted an accusation against Gladbach that was made after the defeats in Frankfurt and Bochum: Union could not deal with backlogs.
In the second half, the team had more than 62 percent possession. Khedira was thrilled: “In my year and a half here I have never seen a performance in this stadium, where we were so dominant and so gripping in the opposing half.” Urs Fischer agreed: “It was really dominating in the second half.”
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Fischer proves his good hands
The coach himself was not uninvolved in this. The dominance of the red and white began with a decision by the Swiss. For a long time, Fischer’s first team was too harmless. Gladbach were compact, it was difficult to get into the game, explained Khedira and added: “We struggled with the ball, Gladbach was very deep in the 4-4-2.” Union struggled to break through on the wings and find strikers up front. In particular, Jordan Siebatcheu, who seemed overplayed, was unsubscribed.
From the 60th minute, Fischer made five changes. Sven Michel, Jamie Leweling, Christopher Trimmel and Genki Haraguchi animated the game, Kevin Behrens equalized. All five newcomers would have brought Zug forward, praised Fischer. Behrens added: “Everyone is hot and wants to show the coach that they are there.” After the changes, Union scored two goals, had nine-zero shots, 82 percent to 55 percent passing accuracy and won more than 70 percent of tackles.
Union shows mentality
The last value in particular supports Khedira’s talk of “brutal willpower”. “We have a mentality team,” added Kevin Behrens. The big bump on his cheek lent extra weight to that statement. Because when he headed the ball after a half-field cross from Diogo Leite, the fist of the Gladbach goalkeeper rushing out hit him in the face. Behrens could therefore hardly celebrate the goal – the pain was too great.
After his goal, the old forester’s house unfolded its full force. “The fans carried us to victory,” said Khedira. Behrens added: “The fact that we shot it is just brutal, you can hear it: great atmosphere.” However, no one should make the mistake of attributing victory to mentality and outside support.
Our club: “Iron Union!”
From the perennial outsider to the surprise team in German football: the film tells the story of 1. FC Union Berlin – right through the decades. A documentary about the ups and downs of a football club – and about the happiness and suffering of the people who have dedicated themselves to it.more
Union solves it playfully
Despite the deficit, Fischer’s team did not lose their heads. While building up pressure on Gladbach, the Unioners played football with a clear idea. Borussia were tied by many players in the penalty area. The deeper Gladbach defended, the more freely the Union could play crosses into the penalty area. Leite played his ball in front of Behrens goal as a central defender from around 30 meters in front of the opposing goal into the penalty area.
One begged for goals, Kramer criticized: “If you drop too low against Union Berlin, you have to defend flanks very well.” That didn’t happen with Behrens goal, before Christopher Trimmel’s offside goal, nor with the final corner before Doekhi’s winning goal.
Fischer praised his team clearly in their game: “Hardly any long balls, we tried it playfully, that was a fantastic second half.” Anyone who considers the Unioners’ high flight to be lucky should be instructed by the goal difference. In addition to Bayern, 1. FC Union is the only team with a double-digit positive difference.
Snapshot instead of relegation
As after the last home games, the fans sang that only the FCU would become German champions. Kevin Behrens found it funny: “I think it’s nice that the fans take it with humor and have fun.” Nevertheless, the team knows how to classify the results and continues to think from game to game.
In the past, Unions was scoffed at when the team played for Europe, but spoke stoically of staying up. In view of the 26 points from twelve games, Urs Fischer presents the club’s new language: “It’s a snapshot.”
Broadcast: rbb24, October 30, 2022, 9:45 p.m
