The defensive specialists from Union Berlin are heading inexorably towards Europe. Sheraldo Becker provides the victory in Gladbach.
1. FC Union Berlin has overcome its small results crisis and underlined its ambitions to participate in the Champions League for the first time. The Köpenicker, previously winless three times in a row, won 1-0 (0-0) at Borussia Mönchengladbach on Sunday evening and defended third place in the Bundesliga with now 55 points. The lead over fifth place is already four points. In front of 52,107 spectators at Borussia-Park, Sheraldo Becker scored for the visitors in the 60th minute. Gladbach lost for the first time in four games and remain stuck in tenth place.
After an unusual and intense pyro show by Gladbach fans in black, white and green, both teams initially lacked a bit of perspective. The Berliners, who had recently conceded three defeats in a row away from home in the league, the DFB Cup and the Europa League, were striving for compactness and basic security and relied on fast switching play. Coach Urs Fischer brought on Diogo Leite for Paul Jaeckel, who was suspended after a yellow card, and otherwise trusted his recently not so successful eleven.
Alassane Plea, who had been weakened by an infection during the week, remained on the bench for Gladbach, with captain Lars Stindl replacing him in the attack. But the visitors’ defensive bulwark, which defends in a five-man backline when the opponent has possession of the ball, caught many of the hosts’ attacks in its tracks.
One means of countering the league’s best defense were long-range shots, but Manu Koné (16th) and later Stindl (27th) failed to hit Union keeper Frederik Rönnow. Borussia’s top scorer Marcus Thuram also repeatedly chafed against the visitors’ compact back line.
The hosts became dangerous whenever Berlin’s quick Becker picked up speed on the counterattack and outran the Gladbach defense. In the 29th minute, Gladbach defender Ko Itakura dangerously deflected a cross from Becker for goalkeeper Jonas Omlin to just save. Jerome Roussillon missed in the 49th minute, completely free and shooting the ball wide.
However, no real scoring opportunities developed on either side in the tense and frequently interrupted match. In the first half alone, referee Martin Petersen handed out five yellow cards.
Union was the more active team and repeatedly posed problems for the hosts with its fast attackers. One of these attacks was used by goalkeeper Becker with a direct shot after a beautiful cross from Roussillon. That was enough for the Berliners, also because Rönnow was stretched by a header from Thuram (84th), who was substituted a little later with an injury.
