4-3! Union Berlin smash Holstein Kiel in Friday Feast!
Match report
Two games, two wins – Union Berlin maintained their 100% start to the season, coming out on top after a thrilling 4-3 win over Holstein Kiel.
The 21,242 fans inside the Stadion An der Alten Försterei weren’t just treated to a scorching Berlin afternoon, but also a feast of football with SIX goals scored during the first half. Last week’s 1-0 win at Ingolstadt was enough justification for coach Jens Keller to pick the same line-up and formation for the visit of Kiel.
The match started at a ferocious speed with the hosts from the capital on the front-foot, shooting towards the Waldseite. Marcel Hartel and Simon Hedlund showed great understanding in the first 10 minutes, but could not find the net. Indeed, the away side took the lead through Kingsley Schindler in the 12th minute.
Not even three minutes had passed before Union responded brilliantly: Damir Kreilach rose highest and converted Christopher Trimmel’s cross from a free kick.
But the celebrations at the Alte Försterei were cut short when Schindler put left-back Kristian Pedersen in an uncomfortable situation which resulted in an own goal. On the 24th minute, parity was restored with Kreilach turning provider for Steven Skrzybski who opened his account for the campaign.
There was no time for anyone to catch a breath before Marvin Ducksch had the ball past Jakob Busk, but the referee flagged for offside. Immediately at the other end, Skrzybski linked up with Hedlund who made it 3-2 to the hosts after 27 minutes. Dominik Drexler scored five minutes later for Markus Anfang’s men to keep the scores level at the interval.
Both teams returned unchanged and the break seemed to suit Union, who took control of the play. After 52 minutes, Skrzybski showed wonderful control and poise before smashing the ball underneath the crossbar to add a fourth for Keller’s side on an action-packed afternoon. Sebastian Polter and Trimmel had further chances to put daylight between the sides, but Union were satisfied nonetheless, securing three points on the second week of the season.
“There’s not much to say about this game,” concluded the coach. “Our attacking tactics in the first 30 minutes were excellent, but unfortunately we made too many defensive mistakes. The spacing was not right and we made many mistakes. I have rarely seen that. Nevertheless, we scored some great goals and were the better team in the second half. Overall, it was a spectacle; the fans are going home happy and we are going home happy.”
Attention turns next weekend to the DFB Pokal where Die Eisernen travel south to meet 1.FC Saarbrücken, two-time runner-up in the German Championship. The match takes place at the Hermann-Neuberger-Stadion in Völklingen on Sunday 13 August at 15:30 local time.
Holstein Kiel are Union's first visitors to the Alte Försterei
Match preview
The Stadion An der Alten Försterei will open its gates for 2.Bundesliga football for the first time this season on Friday (18:30) when Holstein Kiel come to town.
The Northern Germans gained promotion last season from the 3.Liga for the first time in 36 years. Union Berlin brought three points back from Ingolstadt, recently relegated from the Bundesliga, last week. Christopher Trimmel’s second-half strike was the perfect opening to the promotion efforts, which, of course, will be built on foundations in Köpenick.
“We want to turn the Stadion An der Alten Försterei into a fortress from the very beginning and we’ll do everything to get three points on Friday,” said Union coach Jens Keller.
Kiel’s promotion came after a second-place finish in the German third tier last season. Coach Markus Anfang is regarded as one of the brightest talents in German football and has maximised the resources available to him. Despite going 0-2 down at home to Sandhausen, Kiel’s winning mentality came to the fore and, inspired by Marvin Ducksch, they earned a draw.
“We are prepared for every opponent. Holstein Kiel has a particularly special playing style. We have to prepare ourselves for this,” Keller said. “Our tactical direction will always remain the same. We have trained well and we are in top shape. We want to play the game regardless of the weather. Our plan is to be aggressive and play high-pressure. We want to assert our qualities and impose our game on the opponent. Even if the opponent isn’t at the same level, we want to open up the gaps. We want to achieve this through our movement and runs. Every game can be one of patience, so we want to put them under pressure early and if possible, grab a goal. But at the same time, we’ve got 90 minutes to do so.”
Keller has a full squad to choose from, with exception of attacking-midfielder Akaki Gogia. The 25-year-old picked up a heel injury last week in Ingolstadt and has only just managed to complete sessions with the ball in training. “Two days before the game, I’m not going to tell you anything about the line-up,” Keller told reporters.
Kick-off is at 18:30 on Friday evening, with tickets available in the home and away sections of the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. Important: Due to reconstruction work between Erkner and Ostkreuz stations, the S-Bahn S3 only runs every 15 minutes.
