Union ends Hoffenheim's series: And Prömel meets again

Created: 2022-01-15Updated: 2022-01-15, 5:47 p.m

Christoph Baumgartner from TSG Hoffenheim fights for the ball with Berlin's Andreas Voglsammer (r). © Andreas Gora/dpa

1. FC Union Berlin ended the streak at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and continued their impressive journey of the season with a place in the Champions League.

The Irons fought their way to a 2-1 (1-1) victory over the Kraichgauer, who had previously been unbeaten seven times in a row, in the An der Alten Försterei stadium on Saturday.

Berlin – One week after his premiere brace to make it 2-2 at Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Grischa Prömel even advanced to the match winner this time when he made the decision in the 73rd minute that the Union now tied (31) in fourth place in the Bundesliga table is behind Hoffenheim.

Previously, Andreas Voglsammer (22nd) equalized the TSG lead with an own goal from Timo Baumgartl (16th).

However, the chase duel began rather cautiously.

It seemed as if the half-reformed Union team wanted to find each other first.

They already knew about the strength of the guests after their past 17 out of 21 possible points.

Among other things, without vice-captain Marvin Friedrich in defense, the first thing to do was to gain the necessary stability.

The iron ones put away the fact that goalkeeper Andreas Luthe made a mistake in a few passes, supported by almost 3000 fans in the stadium and above all the other supporters in the adjacent forest, from which loud Union songs rang out again and again.

However, the guests from Kraichgau didn't allow much, instead they took the lead quite coolly - with the involuntary help of Baumgartl, one of five newcomers to the team from Union.

The loan from PSV Eindhoven scored the second own goal of his career in his 100th Bundesliga game of all times.

This was preceded by a strong action by Hoffenheim's right winger Ihlas Bebou, whose cross Baumgartl touched with his head.

Things couldn't have gone better for Sebastian Hoeneß's TSG team, but the lead didn't last long.

The ball landed at the very enthusiastic Voglsammer via Bastian Oczipka, who was also new to the team, and Union's creative footballer Max Kruse.

His header bounced off the crossbar against keeper Oliver Baumann.

Even without a top scorer, Taiwo Awoniyi, who plays at the Africa Cup of Nations, hit the iron.

But not much happened after the equalizer and until the break - just as little after that.

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Hoffenheim's top man Andrej Kramaric was not able to assert himself decisively after the change of sides after the headlines during the week, according to which he wants to stay longer at TSG, a lot happened in midfield.

Goal chances were rare, so Union coach Urs Fischer brought attacker Sheraldo Becker, who was operational again after a Corona break.

And that provided the final momentum: In the 71st minute, Becker just missed the winning goal with a header.

Shortly thereafter, however, the ball was in the goal and Becker was involved.

He put it on Kruse, who hit the bar and Prömel used the dust collector.

dpa