bundesliga

Union Berlin stun league leaders Borussia Mönchengladbach with deserved win

xwhatsappmailcopy-link

Goals in either half from Anthony Ujah and Sebastian Andersson gave Union Berlin all three points in a superb team performance against league leaders Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Union Berlin 2-0 Borussia Mönchengladbach
Goals: 1-0 Ujah (15'), 2-0 Andersson (90'+1)

Coming into the game top of the table, the visiting Foals wanted control of the game and took it in terms of possession from the get-go. Patrick Herrmann had two early chances to score, the better of them seeing his header hit the post of Rafal Gikiewicz's goal. But it was Union who took the lead on the counter-attack as Marcus Ingvartsen crossed to the back post and an unmarked Anthony Ujah headed home his second goal of the season. The home side were happy to work with the counter-attack and it almost produced their second goal when the ball dropped to Ingvartsen on the edge of the Gladbach box following a poor clearance from Christoph Kramer. The earlier assister sent a volley at goal, but could only watch as it bounced away off the post. Neither side were able to fully take control of the game for the remainder of the first half, but Alassane Plea had a huge chance to bring his side level before the break. The Frenchman found himself one-on-one with Gikiewicz, but was unable to beat the Polish goalkeeper.

Union started the second half quickly with Andersson forcing a save from Sommer in the opening minutes. Marco Rose's side were dealt a defensive blow with an hour played as Nico Elvedi was forced off due to injury. The away side continued to dominate possession, but Union's defensive set-up was outstanding throughout and they rarely gave up an inch of space for the Foals' infamous attack to work with. Gladbach's only chance of the half came from Herrmann's cross into the box which missed everyone and drifted past the far post. And before the final whistle, Andersson sealed a famous win by heading home from just a yard out, after a deflection had taken a cross into the box out of Sommer's hands. The shock result means the Foals are now looking over their shoulder, with champions Bayern Munich just a point behind after their comfortable win at Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Match stats

  • Union have now won four competitive games in a row for the first time under Urs Fischer.
  • Ujah scored his second goal of the season. It was the first goal he has scored from starting a game so far in 2019/20.
  • Andersson scored his sixth goal of the season. Only Rouwen Hennings, Timo Werner and Robert Lewandowski have scored more.
  • No player has won more duels (201) or aerial duels (102) than Andersson so far this season.
  • Union sit five points ahead of Berlin city rivals Hertha with 16 points from their first 12 Bundesliga matches.
  • Gladbach suffered just their third defeat of the season but remain top of the table after Matchday 12.

Watch: Anthony Ujah talks Union's new-found "confidence"

Line-ups

Union: Gikiewicz - Friedrich, Subotic, Schlotterbeck - Trimmel (c), Kroos (Schmiedebach 71'), Gentner, Lenz - Ingvartsen (Ryerson 87') - Andersson, Ujah (Bülter, 78')
Unused subs: Nicolas, Polter Hübner, Kade, Becker, Parensen
Out: Abdullahi (knee), Andrich (suspended), Gogia (torn ACL), Mees (groin), Prömel (knee)
Coach: Urs Fischer

Gladbach: Sommer (c) - Lainer, Ginter, Elvedi (Strobl 61'), Wendt - Neuhaus (Stindl 58'), Kramer, Zakaria - Herrmann, Plea, Thuram (Embolo 78')
Unused subs: Sippel, Raffael, Traore, Johnson, Benes, Hofmann
Out: Bensebaini (suspended), Jantschke (thigh), Sippel (knee)
Coach: Marco Rose