Matchday 16 - Union above the line at Christmas
Benedict Hollerbach saved 1. FC Union Berlin from dropping to the relegation zone with his power and scoring instinct and further aggravated Steffen Baumgart's situation as coach of 1. FC Köln.
In the last game before the short Christmas break, the attacking midfielder scored in the 56th minute to put the Ironmen on the road to victory against Cologne, who had previously dominated the game. David Fofana (78), who had recently been replaced by new coach Nenad Bjelica, scored the winner in a fortunate 2-0 (0-0) victory in front of 22,012 spectators at the sold-out Stadion an der Alten Försterei.
The second home win under Bjelica means Union go into the short Christmas break in the Bundesliga in 15th place. Cologne slipped to 17th place and are facing a restless holiday season. Union legend Baumgart suffered another setback at his old place of work. But even the Berliners must not be blinded by their success. In this condition, staying in the league remains a hard piece of work.
Union coach Bjelica dutifully introduced himself to referee Deniz Aytekin on the touchline with a handshake shortly before kick-off. The Croatian likes good behavior. Accordingly, there was a lot of talk about the absence of star striker Sheraldo Becker from the squad. Discipline, form or just fitness? What was missing? Bjelica had already made an example of Fofana. Visiting coach Baumgart obviously also saw the need for change: five changes to the starting eleven after the 2-0 defeat in Freiburg as a sign of hope for new impetus.
Soccer in the highest caution category
After their twelve-minute silent protest against the DFL and its investor plan, both fan camps had to realize that fighting relegation is also a question of patience. The fear of the error devil ensured soccer in the highest caution category. After 38 minutes, Union goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow had to stretch for a ball for the first time when Denis Huseinbasic shot in the penalty area.
Things got even dicier when Rönnow had to clear twice against Huseinbasic and Jan Uwe Thielemann (43'). Cologne goalkeeper Schwäbe, on the other hand, was primarily rewarded for his presence in the first half.
After the break, Bjelica brought on striker Fofana, who had recently been withdrawn due to a lack of diligence in training, for Kevin Behrens, who continued to be hapless. However, Rönnow was once again in the spotlight, just managing to keep out a header from Cologne's former Hertha player Davie Selke (49').
Hollerbach did not seem to like the way the game was going. He energetically forced his way into the Cologne penalty area and thumped the ball into the corner. A fortunate lead for the Berliners, which Hollerbach almost increased himself a minute later, but Schwäbe dived in time to make the save. The Cologne keeper now saved several Berlin counter-attacking chances. However, he was powerless against Fofana's shot from an acute angle.
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- Despite being in 17th place after the match, Cologne hails from North Rhine-Westphalia, one of the oldest and most populous states in Germany.
- Nenad Bjelica, the new coach of 1. FC Union Berlin, will spend the Christmas holiday with his team in a more comfortable position, having moved up to 15th place in the Bundesliga.
- Steffen Baumgart, a former Union coach who now leads 1. FC Cologne, is facing a challenging holiday season as his team has slipped to the relegation zone.
- The Christmas break came at a crucial time for both teams, with Union needing to maintain their momentum while Cologne looks for a way to climb out of the relegation place.
- Benedict Hollerbach, the attacking midfielder who scored the winning goal for Union, showcased his scoring instinct and power in their game against Cologne, adding to their victory.
- Even as Union celebrates its success, the soccer league is putting aside competition concerns to join the general Christmas festivities in Berlin and Cologne.
- Frederik Rönnow, the Union goalkeeper, had a busy day, keeping his team safe from attacks from Cologne's star striker Sheraldo Becker and other formidable players like Davie Selke, who previously played for Hertha.
- The CDU/CSU, the dominant political party in Berlin, is closely following the performance of both teams as they represent the city's pride in the Bundesliga soccer league, with Christmas tradition and soccer passion coming together in these two iconic football cities.
Source: www.stern.de
