1. FC Union Berlin beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Alte Försterei to preserve their 100% home record in the league this year. Kevin Vogt and Yorbe Vertessen both scored in the first half before Julian Ryerson pulled one back for the guests.

1. FC Union Berlin: Rönnow – Trimmel, Doekhi, Vogt (59. Querfeld), Leite, Rothe – Kemlein (67. Schäfer), Khedira – Jeong (67. Siebatcheu), Vertessen (67. Skarke), Hollerbach (76. Haberer) 

Borussia Dortmund: Kobel - Yan Couto, Anton, Schlotterbeck, Ryerson (86. Bensebaini) – Can (67. Sabitzer), Groß (63. Nmecha) - Gittens (63. Malen), Brandt, Beier - Guirassy 

The starting XI

Bo Svensson made three changes to the side that started against Gladbach last weekend. In goal, however, was Frederik Rönnow, behind his regular back three of Diogo Leite, Kevin Vogt and Danilho Doekhi. Tom Rothe was in the left wingback role, while, replacing Janik haberer on the right, returned Christopher Trimmel, taking the armband.

In midfield was Rani Khedira, but next to him came Aljoscha Kemlein, the Berlin born player making not only his first ever start in the Bundesliga, but also his first for Union.

They were behind a back three of Yorbe Vertessen, Wooyeong Jeong and Benedict Hollerbach, with Jordan Siebatcheu returning to the bench.

Attendance: 22.012 

Goals: 1:0 Vogt (Pen. 26.), 2:0 Vertessen (45.), 2:1 Ryerson (62.) 

Vogt breaks his record from the spot. Vertessen doubles from distance

Kevin Vogt hadn’t scored in the Bundesliga since October 2014, when he scored against Dortmund for Köln.

Nine years, 11 months and 17 days.  Back then Union were playing under Norbert Düwel against SC Sandhausen. It was Christopher Trimmel’s ninth game for Union. Tom Rothe was nine.

They say lightning never strikes twice. Well, sometimes it does, it just takes a while. But you’d never have known as he stepped up to take his 25^th minute penalty at a boiling, deafening Alte Försterei on Saturday afternoon. He was as cool as they come.

And his goal was more than deserved, Union were excellent in the first half against BVB. Only a minute had been played when Yorbe Vertessen played a short sharp ball to Wooyeong Jeong, who laid it out with similar zip to Christopher Trimmel. It was lightning fast, and showed what Bo Svensson wanted from his newly aligned side.

Aljoscha Kemlein, Meanwhile, having received the hugest of cheers on his starting debut at his home town club, started with an uncertain touch, maybe a hint of nerves, but followed that up with a simple challenge on Emre Can, a limb stretched out impeccably. He picked Pascal Groß’s pocket straight after, his jitters long-since banished.

With seven minutes played, Union sprung the first trap, when Trimmel hit a long ball over the top for Benedict Hollerbach that Gregor Kobel, the busiest man on the pitch in Dortmund’s goal, had to head out, 15 yards outside his box, for a throw-in. Rothe drove wide while falling backwards from the edge of the box after that.

Hollerbach then had the first real chance, a flashing header from Wooyeong Jeong’s cross that flew just wide of Kobel’s left hand post. Vertessen saw one go past the other post, having snatched at it, almost disbelieving that the ball had fallen so neatly at his feet.

Dortmund were struggling to keep up as the first phases of play passed in a blur of red and white, while Vogt, stepping up into the opposition half, got an early yellow card for an innocuous looking push in Serhou Guirassy’s back before 15 minutes had been played. Nico Schlotterbeck got his own a minute later for a nudge on Hollerbach. Maximilian Beier was lucky not to get one too after 22 minutes after tripping Vertessen as Union’s striker whizzed past him in the centre-circle.

It was a furious game, and Rönnow made his first stop when Yan Couto hit one with his left, following Julian Brandt’s clever cut-back. Union’s stopper made light work of it, despite the pace on the ball.

Kemlein had grown into the game now though, and was to have his moment, as he made another tackle with ease before hitting a sumptuous ball out left for Hollerbach to run onto, before cutting back into the box only to be tripped by Schlotterbeck.

Referee, Tobias Reichel, didn’t think twice about it and Vogt grabbed the ball immediately, stepping up, taking his time. Kobel tried to play mind games, pointing to his left, but Vogt was too canny, and that’s exactly where he put it, putting the ball high and powerfully past the stopper. He had no chance.

The dryest of spells had finally been broken.

Union were flying now and Hollerbach darted past two static defenders in the box after half an hour, but Rani Khedira’s lunge was just short, all he needed was a touch and it would have gone in.

Dortmund weren’t to be underestimated – they are currently topping the Champions League table, after all - and Guirassy’s side-footed effort rolled just wide after a cleverly worked short corner and Can’s flat ball into the box where the Guinean international striker was looming.

Union hit back, Hollerbach chested down a cross that the again impressive Jeong hit, deflected out for a corner with five minutes to play. Diogo Leite hit another straight at Kobel with time running out, and Union would win another corner after Khedira’s cutest of chips, setting the irrepressible Hollerbach away again, catching Dortmund off guard.

This time, they would pay for their indecision.

Again, Trimmel lofted the set-piece into the box, aiming for the head of Rothe, but the ball came out to Vertessen who caught it full on the bounce, burying it past Kobel to make it 2-0 at the break. It was a fine strike.

Ryerson strikes back, but Union hold on as the Alte Försterei rocks

Union started off the second half on the front foot, with Jeong and Vertessen again exchanging passes at the speed of sound, one with the head each, one with the flash of a boot.

But it took a flying header from Vogt at the other end to stop Yan Couto’s cross from dropping under the bar with five minutes played of the half, Rönnow rose to grab the ball away from any further danger, but Vertessen was causing havoc at the other end, and Kobel did well to parry his drive having drifted inside towards the edge of the box.

It was end to end stuff now; Rönnow did superbly to stop Beier’s shot, standing up tall and sticking out his right hand instinctively. But as Dortmund piled on the pressure, Union stood just as firm as their keeper and talisman, Rothe heading away one ball, Trimmel the next.

Vogt was replaced after an hour by Leopold Querfeld, but the new man had barely had time to take his place when Julian Ryerson - the former Unioner who had been greeted with a roar by his former fans - finished coolly through a gap between the scattered legs in the box. He put his head down, not celebrating, though it was an excellent finish, hit through the eye of a needle.

Danilho Doekhi almost matched it after 65 minutes though when he threw himself superman style at Vertessen’s free kick, and again Kobel flung himself to tip the goal bound ball wide.

Svensson made three further changes, bringing Jordan Siebatcheu, Andras Schäfer and Tim Skarke on for Vertessen, Kemlein and Jeong. Schäfer immediately made a smart tackle on Can, before Rönnow held Couto’s hopeful long cross way above his head and Querfeld tackled substitute, Donyell Malen, inside the box.

Skarke hit a shot straight at Kobel having beaten Schlotterbeck for pace down the right; Hollerbach shot wide of the near post; while Skarke’s overhead clearance from back in his own box was cheered rapturously as the ball flew up into the Turner skies, as dramatic as the game itself, above.

And as Rothe slid a mile to tackle Couto, Hollerbach applauded him back the length of the touchline. The stadium was now deafening, but it only grew louder with incandescent rage as Marcel Sabitzer caught Leite as they tussled for the ball, both on the ground, on the edge of the Union box. They were unremitting, especially when Skarke was sure he’d won a penalty, having burst past Couto into the box from the inside left.

It was boiling, roaring, a bear pit of tension as six minutes were held up, and as every single clearance was greeted like the winner in a cup final. Leite carried the ball out 40 yards, his arm cocked, his pace never dropping, just as Anton brought down Jordan from behind as he muscled over the halfway line.

Dortmund won a final free kick, with all bedlam breaking out in the din of the stands, but it was all Brandt could do to hit it into the safe hands of Rönnow, towering above everyone else around.

Vogt was on the pitch as soon as the whistle went, high-fiving his team-mates, giving special word to Querfeld, he’s a humble man. “I saw the players looking at me, giving me confidence for the penalty,” he said.

Svensson smiled too. “I’m especially happy for Kevin,” he said. “He's been practising his penalty kicks a lot.”

It certainly showed. And through his, and Vertessen's strike, Union will go into the international break still having won every game at home this season.