Borussia lost 3-1 at Union Berlin on Matchday 14 of the Bundesliga. Kevin Volland from the spot, Benedict Hollerbach and Mikkel Kaufmann netted for the hosts. Alassane Plea got one back for Gladbach, but it came too late.
In front of 22,012 spectators at a sold-out Stadion An der Alten Försterei, where new head coach Nenad Bjelica took charge of his first home game, Union Berlin started with a lot of intensity. The Foals fought back and it turned into a game with lots of individual battles and few chances. From the 20-minute mark onwards, there began to be more opportunities and the hosts took the lead through Kevin Volland’s 24th-minute penalty for handball. Borussia were largely lacking any attacking composure and thus went in 1-0 down at the break.
After half time, the home team enjoyed the perfect start and made it 2-0 early on with a long-range effort from Benedict Hollerbach in the 50th minute. Borussia tried to put more pressure on, but failed to find many gaps in the Union defence and so could not create any good chances. Union meanwhile took advantage of a misplaced pass to make it 3-0 through Mikkel Kaufmann in the 75th minute. Alassane Plea got one back almost straight afterwards in the 77th, but it didn’t count for anything in the end.
TEAM NEWS
Head coach Gerardo Seoane made one change to his starting eleven from the 1-0 DFB-Pokal Round of 16 victory over VfL Wolfsburg. Max Wöber returned to replace Fabio Chiarodia after recovering from illness. The Austrian, Joe Scally and Nico Elvedi made up the back three in front of goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas, with Franck Honorat (right) and Luca Netz (left) functioning as wing-backs. Julian Weigl, Christoph Kramer and Rocco Reitz played in midfield, while Alassane Plea and Tomáš Čvančara started in attack.
While Wöber returned after recovery, Robin Hack missed out in Berlin due to illness. Manu Koné (muscle problems) was also out despite playing in Wolfsburg. Jordan (thigh strain), Tony Jantschke (thigh injury), Ko Itakura (recovering from an ankle operation), Jonas Omlin (recovering from a shoulder operation), Lukas Ullrich (shoulder operation) and Hannes Wolf (back in training after a knee meniscus tear) were unavailable because of injury.
FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS
2’: Union go forward straight away and have the ball in the net, but Volland was offside in the build-up and the goal doesn’t count.
18’: Plea with two attempts from distance! The first is deflected wide for a corner, while the second goes narrowly wide of the bottom left of the goal.
20’: Behrens breaks through the middle after a headed pass from Gosens and tries to lob the keeper, but the ball lands on the roof of the net.
24’: Union take the lead from a penalty kick. The ball hits Netz’s hand from a cross and referee Petersen points at the spot. Volland takes the opportunity and slots it into the bottom left corner for 1-0.
45+2’: So nearly the equaliser! Honorat has some space to put a cross in after some nice play on the right flank, and finds Plea in the middle, who heads over.
45+3’: Roussillon volleys towards goal and forces Nicolas into a superb save!
SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS
47’: Volland is played through and aims for the far corner, but is denied by the feet of Nicolas.
50’: Union extend their lead! A corner comes to Hollerbach outside the penalty area, whose low shot makes it 2-0 to the hosts.
75’: Union wrap up the game. Kaufmann picks up for the ball after a wayward pass from Elvedi, runs through and calmly makes it 3-0.
77’: Borussia get one back! It’s another cross from Honorat, and this time Plea heads perfectly into the top right corner.
STATISTICS
Union Berlin: Rønnow – Juranovic, Knoche, Leite, Roussillon – Khedira, Haberer – Hollerbach (Schäfer 59’), Volland (Aaronson 74’), Gosens (Jaeckel 83’) – Behrens (Kaufmann 74’) // Unused substitutes: Schwolow, Laidouni, Bonucci, Trimmel, Kral
Borussia: Nicolas – Scally (Friedrich 70’), Elvedi, Wöber – Honorat, Kramer (Ngoumou 59’), Weigl, Netz (Herrmann 70’) – Reitz (Neuhaus 70’) – Plea, Čvančara (Ranos 80’) // Unused substitutes: Olschowsky, Chiarodia, Borges Sanches, Walde
Goals: 1-0 Volland (24’ (pen)), 2-0 Hollerbach (50’), 3-0 Kaufmann (75’), 3-1 Plea (77’)
Yellow cards: Juranovic – Scally, Weigl, Plea
Attendance: 22,012
Referee: Martin Petersen (Stuttgart)
