bundesliga

Union Berlin complete hat-trick of wins over Hertha with four-star performance in the derby

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Union Berlin completed a hat-trick of wins over city rivals Hertha Berlin this season, plunging their neighbours deeper into the mire at the foot of the Bundesliga with a 4-1 triumph at the Olympiastadion.

Hertha 1-4 Union
Goals: 0-1 Haraguchi 31' (assist: Becker), 1-1 Baumgartl (o.g. 49'), 1-2 Prömel 53' (assist: Gießelmann), 1-3 Becker 74' (assist: Schäfer), 1-4 Michel 85' (assist: Baumgartl)

In front of the first full house at the Olympiastadion since 2019, Union showed no sign of stage fright as they took the game to their hosts. Taiwo Awoniyi dallied a little as he sought a gap beyond Marcel Lotka, but the Hertha custodian did not budge an inch and bravely denied the Nigerian forward with Union's first opportunity. Hertha raced up the other end to craft their first chance of the game, but Vladimir Darida could not wrap his boot round Stevan Jovetic's sweeping cross. That proved to be Jovetic's last involvement, as he was forced to leave the field with an injury, Ishak Belfodil taking his place. He did not see much of the ball, though, with most of the action at the other end of the field, where Lotka made another outstanding stop from Awoniyi. He could do nothing to prevent Genki Haraguchi from heading the dominant guests in front from Sheraldo Becker's sweeping left-wing delivery moments later, however. Myziane Maolida struck an effort just inches wide as Felix Magath got the kind of response he would have wanted from his team.

They also got a helping hand from Timo Baumgartl as he turned Belfodil's cross into his own goal to get Hertha back on terms early in the second half. Grischa Prömel doused Hertha's flames of hope within minutes, though, connecting with Niko Gießelmann's cross from the left wing with a pinpoint header that left Lotka no chance. Union squandered a three-against-two break, with Awoniyi putting too much on his pass for Andras Schäfer, but they doubled their lead shortly after when Becker raced onto Schäfer's pass, bursting away from Dedryck Boyata and keeping his composure to slot the ball past Lotka into the far corner. Sven Michel collected a wonderful lobbed pass from Baumgartl in his stride and finished it with aplomb to make it four, and only the visiting fans' voices could be heard among the capacity crowd as they savoured a third win out of three over their city rivals this season and their second at the Olympiastadion, where they also won in the DFB Cup.

Match stats

  • Eighteen-year-old Julian Eitschberger made his Hertha debut on his first call-up to the first-team squad, becoming the 35th player used by the Old Lady this season – the most in the league.
  • Hertha have conceded 14 goals from headers this season, with only Greuther Fürth beaten more in the air.
  • Union's 12 shots in the first 45 minutes set a new record for Urs Fischer's men this season.
  • They scored more than three goals away from home for the first time in their Bundesliga history.
  • Union's 44 points after 23 games is a new club record in the top flight.

Watch: Christopher Trimmel on Union's "impressive" win

Line-ups

Hertha: Lotka - Eitschberger (Dardai 46'), Boyata (c), Gechter, Kempf  - Ascacibar (Ekkelenkamp 76') - Pekarik, Darida (Mittelstädt 46'), Tousart, Maolida - Jovetic (Belfodil 21')
Unused subs: Christensen, Serdar, Klünter, Richter, Lee
Out: Jarstein (knee), Plattenhardt (muscular), Schwolow (thigh), Stark (ankle)
Coach: Felix Magath

Union: Ronnow - Baumgartl, Knoche, Heintz (Ryerson 72') - Khedira - Trimmel (c), Haraguchi (Schäfer 62'), Prömel, Gießelmann (Oczipka 72') - Becker (Michel 82'), Awoniyi (Voglsammer 82')
Unused subs: Busk, Öztunali, Behrens, Möhwald
Out: Jaeckel (suspended), Luthe (ill), Ujah (ill)
Coach: Urs Fischer