“Brutal willpower”: Berlin continues to be the leader

Created: 10/30/2022Updated: 10/30/2022 7:08 p.m

Berlin's Diogo Leite is treated injured on the ground.

© Andreas Gora/dpa

What drama.

In the seventh minute of added time, Union Berlin turned the game against Gladbach and remained at the top of the table.

The fans dream of the championship.

Berlin – When Union Berlin managed to score the winning goal at the very last second, the An der Alten Försterei stadium finally became a madhouse.

"Only the FCU will be German champion," rang out the ranks, while the people from Köpenick jumped up and down in front of the fan curve.

With a tour de force, the Berliners saved the lead in the Bundesliga.

Union defeated the injury-plagued Borussia Mönchengladbach team 2-1 (0-1) on Sunday.

Danilho Doekhi scored the winning goal with the last action of the game (90+7).

Kevin Behrens (79th) had previously equalized Gladbach's lead through Nico Elvedi in front of 22,012 fans.

"We deservedly win.

We were extremely dominant.

In the year and a half here, I've never seen a game where we completely pinned down the opponent in our own half.

That speaks to the character of the group.

We don't talk what was Thursday.

We were looking forward to Gladbach.

Then you let the crazy fans carry you," said Berlin's Rani Khedira on DAZN.

"That was a brutal willpower effort on our part in the second half," said the midfielder.

Behrens added: "Everyone is hot.

We have a great mentality.

The fans dream, but we don't talk about it."

Coach Urs Fischer was also impressed by his team's tireless approach.

"It speaks for the character and the mentality of the team if you can generate such force," said the Swiss.

The team also found the right mix between protection and offense.

"It wasn't wild, it was controlled.

Compliments to the team, that really convinced me today.”

Gladbach's Christoph Kramer, on the other hand, was served: "In the last half hour we begged for a goal or two and got it.

I don't know why we didn't play more.

We just pushed out.

Despite all the hustle and bustle, we have to get around to playing a bit of football.”

His trainer Daniel Farke spoke of a "heartbreaking moment".

His team played a really good away game with the best team in the Bundesliga.

The 1: 1 falls after an actually harmless situation.

"Then we collect the late neck blow."

With the win, Union jumped one point ahead of series champions Bayern Munich, who had beaten FSV Mainz 05 (6-2) on Saturday.

The capital club has been at the top of the league since matchday six.

With the second win in a row, three days after the 1-0 win against Sporting Braga in the Europa League, the Berliners are headed into the decisive group game for a place in the knockout rounds on Thursday at Royale Union Saint- Gilloise (9 p.m. / RTL +).

The foals missed out on a place in the European Cup, at least temporarily, and are in the middle of the table.

The Gladbachers have been without a win in the league for three games.

For the Gladbach defender Marvin Friedrich it was the first sporting return to his former place of work.

The Union promotion hero, who moved from Berlin to the Lower Rhine in January, was honored before the game and, as is usual in Köpenick, celebrated by the fans as the "football god".

After the game, he was annoyed that his new team had become too passive in the second half.

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While Fischer was able to draw on plenty and only changed his team in two positions, Farke again had to replace numerous players.

The hosts controlled the early stages.

Then Gladbach came into play better.

The eleven from the Lower Rhine became dangerous for the first time with a free kick from Alassane Plea from a central position (23rd).

Union keeper Frederik Rönnöw got the ball out of the corner.

Shortly thereafter, Sheraldo Becker deflected a shot from Rani Khedira into the visitors' goal (29'), but touched the ball clearly with his hand.

The goal didn't count.

Union found it difficult to get into the penalty area for a long time.

Most of the deals came from the second tier.

The guests used their speed, which Fischer had warned about.

Nathan N'Goumou forced Union's Bundesliga debutant Timoteusz Puchacz to clear the ball to a corner with a hard attack.

Elvedi headed this into the goal on a template from Lars Stindl.

Fischer made full use of his substitution quota a quarter of an hour before the end and that had an effect.

Gladbach keeper Tobias Sippel past a half-field cross from Diogo Leite.

Substitute Behrens rose into the air and heaved the ball into the goal.

The striker had another huge chance shortly after, but shot over the bar.

Then the hosts cheered when Christopher Trimmel scored with his head.

But the goal was ruled out for offside.

But the running of the iron continued.

With the last action, Doekhi shot the Berliners back to the top.

dpa