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1. FC Union Berlin vs Girondins Bordeaux
Friendly, 5. Matchday
1. FC Union vs Bordeaux
Friendly, 5. Matchday
Sat., 21. July 2018, 18:00 Uhr
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Union Berlin hold French club Bordeaux
Match report
Sebastian Andersson scored as 1. FC Union Berlin held French side Girondins de Bordeaux to a 1-1 draw at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
Urs Fischer's welcomed the sixth-best team in France last season to Köpenick as preparations intensified ahead of the 2.Bundesliga kick off on August 5. Swedish striker Andersson scored for the first time at his new home after just three minutes, but Gus Poyet's men would draw level through centre-back Jules Kounde.
1. FC Union Berlin: Gikiewicz; Trimmel (Kurzweg 72), Dietz (Schößwendter 72), Friedrich, Reichel (Lenz 46); Schmiedebach (Parensen 72), Prömel (Kahraman 86), Hartel (Zejnuhallu 72); Redondo (Gogia 72), Hedlund, Andersson (Taz 76)
Bordeaux: Costil; Gajic, Poundje, Lewczuk (Baysse 82), Kounde (Jovanovic 82); Plasil (Otavio 82), Lerager (De Preville 58, Benrahou 82), Tchoaumeni; Kamano (Vada 69), Sankhare, Youssouf (Laborde 69)
The annual pre-season friendly, presented by IFA, is one of the calendar highlights for the Köpenick club. Bordeaux, who will compete in the UEFA Europa League this season, join an illustrious list of opponents, which includes Sevilla, Utrecht, Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers and Celtic.
Union have ran out victorious in all previous IFA-match encounters and hoping to preserve the tradition, the home side started impressively and netted the opener inside three minutes. Christopher Trimmel’s free kick from the right was pinpoint into the path of Andersson who finished off first time with great conviction.
Saturday’s match is Union’s last home game before the league commences on August 5 against Erzgebirge Aue. Similarly for Gus Poyet’s side, who meet Latvian side Ventspils in the second qualifying round, this outing was essentially the final chance to get his players in shape for competitive action. As such, both teams appeared to treat it as close to a competitive test as possible.
Union threatened in the 13th minute with Bordeaux captain and goalie Benoit Costil caught out of his goal after failing to clear his lines, but Marcel Hartel’s delicate chip landed just a few inches to the wrong side of the post. Kenny Prince Redondo’s quick interception inside the opposition half created the next chance on 28 minutes, but the winger’s shot was blocked by Kounde.
Fischer made one change at the turnaround with Christopher Lenz replacing Ken Reichel at left back. Bordeaux struggled to deal with another aggressive Union set play, but neither Dietz nor Andersson could convert from just a few yards out. Instead of a second for the Berlin club, the French Ligue 1 outfit levelled the scores on 56 minutes when Konde stuck out a leg and got the final touch inside the six-yard box.
Both coaches handed out game time in the final 20 minutes, which naturally had an impact on the flow of the match. However, Union stood up to the challenges from Bordeaux and with a bit more composure in the final third, could have scored a second. Lenz and Berkan Taz kept Costil busy in the final minutes but the Bordeaux skipper stood firm.
Union’s preparation for the new league season takes them across the English Channel next week, where Championship side Queens Park Rangers will provide a stern test on Saturday July 28 at Loftus Road.
Union Berlin welcome French top-tier club Bordeaux
Match preview
After returning from 10 days in Klosterpforte, 1. FC Union Berlin return to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei for a home friendly against Girondins de Bordeaux. The French side are the latest European club to contest the annual pre-season encounter, which is presented by IFA Berlin, the world’s most important technology marketplace. Kick-off is scheduled for 18:00 on Saturday July 21.
Overview: Norwich, Bordeaux, QPR before league begins
After a demanding training programme at the camp in Marienfeld, Union Berlin will play at the Alte Försterei for the last time before the season gets underway in a fortnight. Urs Fischer’s team defeated Norwich 2-1 in midweek and will test themselves against strong opposition in the shape of the French club. Next week, Union will close up their pre-season preparations with a visit to the ‘Motherland of Football’ to face Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road on July 28.
FC Girondins de Bordeaux — Six-time French champion and Europa League competitors
Founded in 1881, Bordeaux have been in Ligue 1 for the past 27 years. The club enjoyed considerable success in the 1980s, winning three league championships, two French cups and reaching both the semi-finals of the European Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup. Now coached by Gus Poyet, the former Chelsea midfielder, Bordeaux finished sixth last season to qualify for the UEFA Europa League and will compete in the second qualifying round next week.
Bordeaux’s star player is 21-year-old Brazilian attacker Malcolm who has been linked with a host of top European clubs, including Bayern Munich. In midfield, Czech Republic international Jaroslav Plasil brings more than 100 caps worth of experience to the table.
Ticket and parking information
Fans can still buy tickets up until kick off on Saturday from the usual outlets — online or at the stadium club store. Prices start from 14EUR full price, 12 EUR for a concession and from 29EUR for seating in our main stand. Children up to the age of 12 are entitled to free admission with gates opening at 16:30 local time.
A limited number of parking spaces are available in the car park in front of the main stand (P1) at a price of 4EUR per vehicle.
