Union Berlin slip further back in title race after draw with Cologne
Union Berlin lost further ground in the Bundesliga title race after being held to a goalless draw by Cologne.
Union won the reverse fixture in Cologne on Matchday 6 to go top of the table for the first time ever thanks to a third-minute Timo Hübers own goal. It took the Berliners four to fire off their first shot this time as they tried to close the gap on the leaders again, but Kevin Behrens’ effort was easily saved by Marvin Schwäbe. Janik Haberer had a header blocked before the visitors started to click into gear too. Steffen Tigges forced a good low stop out of Frederik Ronnow, while Dejan Ljubicic fired an effort just inches wide of the far post in the best of the first-half chances.
The action resumed with a far more energetic display. Josip Juranovic – deployed on the left today – fired over a volley before Eric Martel, Florian Kainz and Jonas Hector all forced good stops out of Ronnow to keep the score level. Sheraldo Becker then failed to test Schwäbe at the other end, firing over when through on the left. Cologne remained the most likely, with Kainz flashing an effort just wide from the left, but failed to break the deadlock as this fixture ended goalless for the first time in 16 competitive meetings. A third game in a row without a win for Union means they now find themselves five points off the summit.
Match stats
- Union have failed to score in the first half of their last four league games; Cologne in their last six.
- Die Eisernen remain the only team alongside Bayern Munich yet to lose at home in the Bundesliga this season.
- The Berliners have still never lost to the Billy Goats in the Bundesliga (W6, D2). There’s no other team they’ve faced so often in the top flight without being beaten.
- Conversely, there’s no team Cologne have faced so many times without ever getting a win in the Bundesliga.
- Cologne have won just once on the road in the Bundesliga this season (D6, L5). Nine away games without a win is a first under Steffen Baumgart (D4, L5).
- Baumgart scored 22 goals in 64 Bundesliga 2 appearances for Union (2002-04) and is still a club member. He has still never beaten his former club in the Bundesliga as coach of Paderborn or Cologne (D3, L3).
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Teams
Union: Rönnow - Doekhi, Knoche, Leite - Trimmel (c), Laidouni (Thorsby 81’), Khedira, Haberer (Seguin 69’), Juranovic - Becker (Michel 90'), Behrens (Jordan 69’)
Unused subs: Grill, Jaeckel, Öztunali, Baumgartl, Leweling
Out: Gießelmann (knock), Roussillon (knock), Schäfer (foot)
Coach: Urs Fischer
Cologne: Schwäbe - Schmitz, Hübers, Chabot, Hector (c) - Skhiri, Martel - Maina (Adamyan 86’), Ljubicic (Lemperle 90'+2), Kainz (Olesen 84’) - Tigges
Unused subs: Horn, Soldo, Huseinbasic, Schindler, Limnios, Selke
Out: Andersson (knee), Dietz (cruciate ligament), Kilian (muscular), Pedersen (muscular), Uth (pelvis), Thielmann (thigh)
Coach: Steffen Baumgart
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