Dhe sensational leaders Union Berlin also passed the endurance test against Borussia Dortmund with flying colors on another day of celebration. “Only the FCU will be German champions!” chanted the Union Berlin fans after the 2-0 (2-0) win over Borussia Dortmund in an old forester’s lodge that almost boiled over with euphoria. The surprise team of coach Urs Fischer defeated the runners-up in the Bundesliga on Sunday thanks to a furious start and thus consolidated their lead in the table. BVB is now seven points behind.
Janik Haberer (8th/21st) shot the mighty Köpenicker to their seventh win of the season, the home series grew to eleven games without defeat. Union defended first place with 23 points from ten games. Dortmund disappointed after the euphorically acclaimed last-minute point win against Bayern Munich in the previous week (2: 2) and fell back to eighth place with 16 points.
“Of course we are totally dissatisfied,” said BVB national player Karim Adeyemi at DAZN, “we can only learn from that.” In the background, the Union professionals sang and danced arm in arm to the brand new master tones. They no longer had to look at the Bayern game against SC Freiburg. They were still leading the table after the tenth matchday.
“That was very good again, intense and therefore deserved,” analyzed midfielder Rani Khedira. He revealed his trainer Urs Fischer’s recipe for success: “Everyone knows what to do in every situation. It almost doesn’t matter how the opponent plays.” After the exhausting 1-0 win against Malmö FF in the Europa League, Fischer only changed two positions in the starting XI.
Dortmund’s coach Edin Terzic attacked Sturmjuwel Youssoufa Moukoko, who missed a great chance to score (79′). Anthony Modeste was not in the squad this time. National player Marco Reus was back on the bench for the first time since his injury and came into the second half without reviving the game decisively.
The capital club started furiously. Whipped on by the majority of the 22,012 spectators in the sold-out “An der Alten Försterei” stadium, the home side surprised Borussia with heavy pressing, Dortmund did not manage to open the game well – on the contrary.
BVB goalkeeper Gregor Kobel slipped with the ball on his foot and involuntarily hung up for the rushing Haberer, who only had to slide into the orphaned goal from seven meters. “That was super unfortunate,” Kobel admitted. Haberer also scored the well-deserved 2-0 (21st) with a powerful shot into the left corner.
With the self-image of a leader, the Berliners consistently defended their own goal. Dortmund tried to be in control, but there were few chances of their own in the first half. Only Moukoko caused a little danger with his imprecise degrees.
The angry BVB coach Terzic made three changes at the beginning of the second half. Reus and Julian Brandt as well as Donyell Malen should bring new impetus to the weak offensive. But any attempts to attack bounced off again and again on the resolute Union defense around Robin Knoche.
The table leader remained more dangerous. Timo Baumgartl’s header failed to hit Kobel (52′), but the Fischer team missed further excellent counter-attacking opportunities against advancing guests.
