RB Leipzig ends Union Berlin’s series
Union Berlin had not lost at home in the Bundesliga 24 times. This great series is history – RB Leipzig clearly wins in the stadium at the Alte Försterei.
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Xavi Simons (in blue) celebrates his goal to give RB Leipzig a 1-0 lead in Berlin. The Union professionals stand there in disbelief. © dpa/Andreas Gora
By Arne Richter
Berlin. With an artificial shot from Xavi Simons and a double strike from Benjamin Sesko, RB Leipzig overcame its Union trauma and also ended the Berliners’ impressive home series. After five defeats against the Iron Men in the Bundesliga, the Saxons won 3-0 (0-0). It was Union’s first defeat at the Alte Försterei stadium after 24 league games.
Curious: Even in the last defeat so far, the 0-3 against Borussia Dortmund in February 2022, the guest coach was named Marco Rose. The Dutchman Simons (51st minute) gave Leipzig the lead. Substitute Sesko’s two goals (85th, 87th) ensured the final score.
With their success, RB prevented a false start in the league and climbed to fourth place in the table ahead of the Berliners with their second win of the season. In front of 22,012 spectators in the sold-out arena, Union striker Kevin Volland (64th) was shown the red card after a foul on Mohamed Simakan.
After a foul by Kevin Volland, Leipzig’s Mohamed Simakan is treated by the Rasenballer’s medical department. The defender had to be replaced shortly afterwards and Volland was shown a red card for his action, © dpa/Andreas Gora
Another extremely eventful week ended with a setback for Union, although football Sunday had started in an atmospheric way. The first big applause erupted almost 90 minutes before the game from the Union fans who were already there.
Leonardo Bonucci stepped onto the pitch in the stadium at the Alte Försterei for the first time on a match day. The Italian European champion is a symbol, practically the icing on the cake, for the Iron Men’s rapid rise into the continental football elite.
There’s no need to “pinch yourself,” said club boss Dirk Zingler on the DAZN microphone before kick-off, but this week was already “special,” with Real Madrid as the drawn Champions League opponent and Robins Gosens as the first current DFB -National player and Bonucci’s arrival from Juventus Turin.
RB will not be taken by surprise this time
The star defender initially sat on the bench, that’s how it is with the Iron Men. From there, Bonucci saw a game in the scanning category. The mutual respect was noticeable. Leipzig had lost 2-1 in a series against Köpenick five times in the league. “We want to stay with ourselves and act confidently. We know exactly what to expect,” said coach Rose. In fact, the Saxons did not allow themselves to be taken by surprise by Union as they had done in previous appearances. The spaces were blocked up, a chance was lurked at the front, there was again no room for Timo Werner in this concept.
The Berliners had a single chance in the first half with a header from Kevin Volland (13th). Since passing and preventing chances is also a genuine Union quality, Leipzig only had two shot chances through Youssuf Poulsen (15th) and the very agile Simons (18th). It wasn’t particularly dangerous.
Union hectic and unhappy
Bonucci warmed up with the other substitutes during the break and high-fived his new defensive colleagues Robin Knoche and Danilho Doekhi as they returned to the pitch. From the bench, the Italian saw Simons delicately flick the ball into the Union goal from around 18 meters. It was the first gap in Berlin’s defense.
Union reacted hectically and unfortunately. Volland hit Simakan from behind with a tackle. Referee Daniel Schlager pulled out the red card. Being outnumbered, Union could no longer find a way to avert defeat. In the final quarter of an hour, the stadium became temporarily quiet due to an emergency medical intervention in the visitors’ block. Sesko made the decision with his first two Bundesliga goals.
Cologne takes a point from Eintracht Frankfurt
In the first game of the day, 1. FC Cologne lost another lead, but this time saved something that was countable: Coach Steffen Baumgart’s team drew 1-1 (1-0) at Eintracht Frankfurt and left a relegation zone after two previous defeats. The SGE remains unbeaten in competitive games under Dino Toppmöller, but missed the jump into the top group. Florian Kainz (43rd, penalty kick) took the lead for Cologne, who were able to score points in eight of the last nine duels with Eintracht. New signing Niels Nkounkou (87th), only signed from AS St. Etienne on Friday, ensured that the Hessians remained unbeaten in their twelfth Bundesliga home game in a row.
FC Bayern Munich had already celebrated its third victory on Saturday. Coach Thomas Tuchel’s team scored a late 2-1 (0-1) in the hard-fought classic against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday evening. After the upcoming international break, Bayern will welcome the Bayer Leverkusen team, which also got off to a perfect start, for the top game.
The Rhinelanders won at home against newly promoted SV Darmstadt 98 5:1 (1:1) and climbed to first place in the table, at least temporarily.
Bayern win late in Gladbach
VfL Wolfsburg, on the other hand, dropped points for the first time in a 1:3 (1:1) draw at TSG Hoffenheim. SC Freiburg also suffered its first defeat of the season with a surprisingly clear 0:5 (0:3) at VfB Stuttgart. After three competitive defeats in a row, Werder Bremen achieved the hoped-for breakthrough with a 4-0 (1-0) win against FSV Mainz 05. FC Augsburg and VfL Bochum drew 2:2 (1:1).
Bayern initially fell behind in Mönchengladbach. But after Borussia took the lead thanks to Ko Itakura’s header from a corner (30th minute), the again strong Leroy Sané (58th) and the recently substituted Mathys Tel (87th) turned the game in Munich’s favor with their goals .
Leverkusen took the lead after a counterattack by new signing Victor Boniface (21st), but outsiders Darmstadt responded just four minutes later with an equalizer by Oscar Vilhelmsson. The Argentine world champion Exequiel Palacios (49th), again Boniface (61st), Jonas Hofmann (67th) and Adam Hlozek (83rd) made the decision.
Bremen scores four times without a filling pitcher
For Hoffenheim, ex-Wolfsburg player John Anthony Brooks (45th + 2) was able to equalize VfL’s lead through Tiago Tomas (36th) before the break. The goals from Maximilian Beier (60th) and Robert Skov (75th) finally turned the game around.
In Stuttgart, VfB took an early 3-0 lead thanks to Chris Führich (8th) and a double strike from striker Serhou Guirassy (17th and 19th). Freiburg also appeared defensively vulnerable in the second half and conceded further goals from Führich (62′) and Enzo Millot (75′).
Bremen got off to a perfect start in the first game after the departure of Niclas Füllkrug (to Borussia Dortmund) and took an early lead thanks to a penalty kick from Marvin Ducksch (3rd). Jens Stage (53′), Leonardo Bittencourt (82′) and Justin Njinmah (83′) increased after the break.
In Augsburg, Dion Beljo (36th) and Ermedin Demirovic (62nd) each gave the hosts the lead, but Takuma Asano (45th + 3 and 64th) managed to equalize for Bochum.
Dortmund just can’t get going
At the start of the third matchday, Borussia Dortmund lost a mandatory win and temporarily took the lead in the table. Coach Edin Terzic’s team had to settle for a 2-2 draw at home against newly promoted 1. FC Heidenheim on Friday evening after a 2-0 half-time lead.
The goals for BVB in front of 81,365 spectators were scored by national players Julian Brandt (7th minute) and Emre Can (15th, hand penalty). However, the Heidenheim team won the first Bundesliga point in their club history thanks to goals from Eren Dinkci (61′) and Tim Kleindienst (83’/foul penalty). (dpa)
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