Highlights
F. Badstübner
0:24
WATCH: AWONIYI: "I HAVE TO KEEP GOING"
0:22
WATCH: KNOCHE: "IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS"
90'
+ 5
FULL-TIME! UNION 1-0 COLOGNE
Union move above Cologne in the table, thanks to Awoniyi's second-half strike. They climb to seventh, three points behind the top six who are all in action over the weekend.
Full-time
90'
+ 4
ACCESS DENIED
Ronnow punches clear - that must be that...
90'
+ 3
LAST CHANCE
Cologne win a late free-kick in the Union half. It's now or never...
90'
+ 1
TOOTHLESS BILLY GOATS
Cologne have not had a single shot in the second 45. It's five years since they last went an entire half without getting off at least one effort on the opposition goal.
90'
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
89'
LIKE-FOR-LIKE CHANGES
Prömel and Awoniyi get a big hug from the coaching team - they've worked their socks off. Messrs Möhwald and Behrens are on for the closing minutes.
89'
Substitution
88'
Substitution
83'
FRESH LEGS
Left-back Jannes Horn replaces Uth, while midfielder Schaub is on for central defender Hübers. It's another positive change from Baumgart - but where's that spark going to come from?
83'
Substitution
83'
Substitution
81'
HESITANCY
The ball breaks for Uth just inside the Union area, but the German takes one touch too many, allowing Union to get men in the way and clear. It's just not been Cologne's day in the final third. They've really missed top scorer Modeste's presence.
75'
UNION SWITCH
Ryerson - a right-back by trade - replaces Haraguchi. Cologne haven't looked like doing much since falling behind, but there's still only a goal in it...
75'
Substitution
73'
OFF TARGET
Haraguchi works a shooting opportunity for Prömel, but he doesn't find the target. A Union change is coming...
72'
Substitution
69'
COLOGNE CHANGES
Cologne appear to have switched to a 3-5-2 with that double change. Can the added threat out wide and in attack bring them level?
67'
Substitution
67'
Substitution
59'
FLAG-KICK THREAT
Union win a corner, but Trimmel's delivery is eventually hooked to safety. Die Eisernen are the worst team from free-kicks, but the second best from corners so far this season.
58'
FASTEST FIRST
It's the seventh time this season Awoniyi has put Union 1-0 up. He's level with Lewandowski and Modeste, in that regard.
50'
AWONIYI MAKES HISTORY!
Cologne got lucky playing out from the back moments ago, but they don't learn. Hector is pressured into a mistake, the Cologne skipper playing a back-pass straight to Awoniyi. He swipes the ball past the advancing Schwäbe to break the deadlock, usurping Max Kruse as Union's record 17-goal Bundesliga scorer in the process.
46'
HERE WE GO AGAIN!
Already on a booking, Ehizibue is hooked. With right-backs Schmitz and Schindler out, Thielmann - an attacking player - is on.
Kick-off!
45'
+ 1
Substitution
45'
+ 1
GOALLESS AT HALF TIME
A keenly contested first half comes to a close in Berlin. Cologne have dominated the possession, but Union are leading the shot count.
Half-time
43'
HALF CHANCE
Becker uses his pace to get away from Özcan. Prömel beats Ehizibue to the ensuing cross, but can't direct it on target.
42'
CAUTION
Becker raises his hand to the face of Hübers as the two jostle for possession. He can have no complaints with the referee's decision, despite his protestations.
41'
OFF TARGET
Less convincing from Ronnow now as he punches a Ljubicic cross straight out to Uth, who hits an effort into the ground and wide.
40'
RONNOW TO THE RESCUE
Chance for Cologne as Uth's clipped cross is flicked on into the danger zone. The ball's on Hector's weaker right side as he goes for goal from the corner of the six-yard box, with Ronnow making himself big to block.
36'
KHEDIRA!
Rani Khedira drives towards the Cologne area. Hübers backs off before throwing himself at a fierce low strike that goes through his legs and wide of Schwäbe's left-hand post.
33'
TALE OF THE TAPE
Goal attempts
3off target
1on target
3off target
0on target
33'
Possession (%)
4357
30'
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
28'
SAFE HANDS
Ronnow is first to a teasing right-wing cross from Trimmel. Brave goalkeeping - he was surrounded by opposition players, got some real hang time and landed with quite the bump.
26'
BECKER!
Awoniyi finds Becker in the Cologne box. He takes it in is stride, but the angle's tight as he lets rip and Schwäbe beats the ball away. The cut-back was perhaps the better option.
23'
WIDE!
Ronnow mishits a clearance straight to Andersson. Cologne go on the attack as a ball is swung in towards Uth, who sends a downward header just wide of the far post. Ronnow was at full stretch.
20'
OVER!
Awoniyi controls a ball into the box, showing brute power to hold off a couple of challenges before shifting a pass to his left. Prömel meets it acrobatically, sending a scissor-kick into row M.
17'
THIN ICE
Ehizibue loses his footing as he slides in a touch overzealously on Gießelmann. The referee gives him the benefit of the doubt - not everyone would have.
13'
BOOKING
Ehizibue goes into the book after tangling with Gießelmann. He'll have to watch his step now. It's been physical in the early stages...
6'
JAECKEL BAN
Jaeckel blocks off the run of Ljubicic with more of a rugby tackle. The Cologne midfielder would have had a free run at the 18-yard box, had he not been impeded. That's Jaeckel's fifth yellow card of the season - he'll be suspended for the Berlin derby.
2'
WARNING SIGN
Becker's through-ball finds its mark, but Awoniyi's control lets him down and Schwäbe's out to gather.
1'
UNDER WAY!
It's bouncing in Berlin, where we have a sell-out crowd for the first time in 762 days.
Kick-off!
ADVANTAGE UNION?
Cologne are yet to beat Union in the Bundesliga. The capital club won the teams' first four top-flight meetings between 2019 and March 2021, while the sides shared a 2-2 draw on Matchday 11 earlier this season.
0:12
WATCH: COLOGNE PITCH INSPECTION
TEAM NEWS - UNION
Union boss Urs Fischer has shuffled his pack four times in the wake of the 4-0 defeat in Munich on Matchday 27. Trimmel, Gießelmann and Prömel all come in for Ryerson, Oczipka and Möhwald, who drop to the bench, while Ronnow begins in goal instead of Luthe, who is struggling with muscular complaints.
0:10
WATCH: UNION ARE IN THE HOUSE!
TEAM NEWS - COLOGNE
Head coach Steffen Baumgart has made five changes to his side following the 1-1 draw with Dortmund before the international break - and three of them are big losses. Top scorer Modeste is ill, playmaker Duda is suspended and attack-minded right-back Schmitz is injured. The latter is replaced by Ehizibue, who makes his first start since Matchday 8, while Kainz comes into midfield for Duda. Elsewhere, Ljubicic, Skhiri and Hector all start in place of Schaub, Modeste and Horn.
0:14
WATCH: PERFECT EVENING FOR FOOTBALL IN BERLIN
UNION STARTING XI
Ronnow - Jaeckel, Knoche, Baumgartl - Khedira - Trimmel (c), Haraguchi, Prömel, Gießelmann - Becker, Awoniyi
UNION SUBS
Busk, Ryerson, Oczipka, Heintz, Schäfer, Möhwald, Voglsammer, Michel, Behrens
COLOGNE STARTING XI
Schwäbe - Ehizibue, Kilian, Hübers, Hector (c) - Skhiri, Özcan - Ljubicic, Uth, Kainz - Andersson
COLOGNE SUBS
Urbig, J. Horn, Chabot, Schaub, Lemperle, Thielmann, Ostrak, Olesen, Obuz
FISCHER'S PLANS
© Imago
BAUMGART WARY
Here's what visiting coach, Steffen Baumgart, had to say about tonight's opponent's, Union: "Every opponent has problems against them because they are very robust. They have a clear system, use a back three and play aggressively up front. We don't want to let them play football."
CHASING EUROPE
Tonight's match-up sees two sides eager to reach the end of this season rewarded with a place in the Bundesliga's European spots. With just seven games to go to achieve that feat, this Matchday 28 encounter could provide that crucial step for either Union or Cologne.
0:30
Welcome along!
Here you can find all the information about Union Berlin against Köln on Matchday 28.