Overshadowed by a near demolition, Union Berlin also switched to Bundesliga mode in the Europa League at the third attempt – despite being outnumbered at half time. A courageous away performance earned the surprise leaders their first three points in the competition’s history. At the Swedish record champions Malmö FF, the previously pointless team of coach Urs Fischer won 1-0 (0-0).
Union came within a hair’s breadth of blocking the all-important success in the fight for progress in Group D itself. Several firecrackers from the guest block caused an almost half-hour interruption, and the show was threatened with termination. Shortly following the restart, Sheraldo Becker (68th) scored the golden goal. Midfielder Andras Schäfer had weakened Union by being sent off following an emergency brake (45 + 1). The second leg is already scheduled for next Thursday.
Following the first Bundesliga defeat of the season in Frankfurt (0: 2), three corona cases caused a stir at Union, including Fischer. Only on Thursday did the Swiss travel to Sweden for a free test.
Union initially gave the hosts the ball and waited for counterattacks. The first promising opportunity belonged to Malmö through Joseph Ceesay (16th). Ten minutes later, Becker approached the hosts’ goal.
Union became bolder, Janik Haberer aimed half a meter too high (37th). Shortly before the half-time whistle, the agile midfielder tried once more with a direct acceptance. Seconds later, Schäfer underwent a serious blackout. First he lost the ball completely unchallenged at the level of the center line, then he tugged at the jersey of Anders Christiansen – and rightly saw red.
After a little less than an hour of play, things got dicey, but not sporty: flares flew onto the field from the away block, and the home area returned fire. Referee Halil Umut Meler sent both teams into the dressing room, the security forces cleared the block. For minutes it was unclear whether the game would start once more.
After urgent instructions in Swedish, English and German to the fans of both camps that the next incident would be followed by an immediate break, the show went on. First Union keeper Frederik Rönnow saved once morest Christiansen (63rd), then Becker struck following a counterattack with the first goal in the club’s Europa League history.
Becker scores to make it 1-0
(SID) / Image: Imago
