1. FC Union Berlin lost 1-0 at home to Holstein Kiel on a tough Sunday afternoon in Köpenick, Despite their efforts, Armin Gigovic’s 43^rd minute goal was enough to settle the tie.

1. FC Union Berlin: Rönnow – Juranovic, Doekhi, Querfeld, Leite, Rothe (65. Roussillon) - Khedira, Tousart (75. Skarke) – Ljubicic (46. Ilic), Jeong (65. Bénes), Hollerbach (74. Volland) 

Kieler SV Holstein: Weiner – Becker (70. Ivezic), Zec (83. Schulz), Komenda - Rosenboom, Remberg, Geschwill (83. Javorczek) - Knudsen, Gigović (59. Holtby) - Harres (70. Skrzybski), Machino 

The starting XI

Steffen Baumgart made just the two changes to the side that began last weekend in Dortmund, though he did change the system, meaning Frederik Rönnow was behind a back three of Diogo Leite, Leopold Querfeld (in for Andras Schäfer) and Danilho Doekhi.

Rani Khedira and Lucas Tousart remained in midfield, as did their wing-backs Tom Rothe and Josip Juranović.

Wooyeong Jeong played ahead of them in the middle, with Benedict Hollerbach and, replacing Andrej Ilic, Marin Ljubicic.

Attendance: 22.012 

Goal: 0-1 Gigović (43.) 

Timon Weiner saves Geschwill’s blushes, Gigovic scores before the break

Five years ago, Union hosted Holstein Kiel at the Alte Försterei. They won 2-0, and Steven Skrzybski scored. Today, however, the tables were turned, giving the side from the north coast their first ever Bundesliga away win. Though he didn’t get a goal, Skrzybski was still on the winning side.

Despite the riot of colour in the stands on kick off, with three quarters of the stadium awash in red, and a huge badge at the heart of the Waldseite, it just wasn’t to be their day.

“We weren't forceful enough,” was captain for the day, rani Khedira’s estimation. “Despite taking a lot of corners, we barely threatened them in the first half. That's ultimately not enough. It wasn't all bad today though, but that's just not how you score goals.”

Initially, though, things seemed to be heading a different way. Union started on the front foot, winning an early corner, then playing on - with Ljubicic getting his first touches alongside Hollerbach, the hint of a burgeoning partnership - as Doekhi lay prone on the ground following a collision at the set-piece.

But though bottom of the table, Kiel have scored more than many in the league this season, and they were inventive going forwards. Magnus Knudsen went on a mazy run up the middle just five minutes in, pushed out wide by a Querfeld who would make a beautiful tackle on the same man a few moments later, tackling him with elegant timing and arboreal strength.

Josip Juranović hit a tantalising ball in from the right, but it was cleared just before the rising Hollerbach could get on the end of it. He then found Tom Rothe, who had played last season on loan in Kiel, but Timon Weiner saved his shot, diving to his left. That was nothing compared to the way he hindered an almost catastrophic touch from Max Geschwill, under pressure from Doekhi all the way, from Juranovic’s next corner. The keeper flung to his left, and clawed the ball away off the line as it seemed destined to go in.

The young Austrian international showed his anticipation after 15 minutes when he robbed Armin Gigovic, following Rönnow’s uncharacteristically misplaced pass out.

The rapid pace of the opening phases soon dropped, but there were flashes from Union, and when Ljubicic put a dropping ball around David Zec with his delicious first touch, it confirmed the promise shown by the player ever since scoring with his first shot on debut against Hoffenheim. Lucas Tousart was starting to flourish in the middle, and he found the space to free Juranović again up the right with 35 minutes played. He in turn then found Wooyeong Jeong, but his cross lacked bite, and was all too easily cleared.

At the other end, though, Nicolai Remberg did excellently to stop Hollerbach when played through by a lovely Ljubicic through-pass, as straight as an arrow, up the middle, the culmination of a break started by Khedira back in his own half.

But with only a couple of minutes to play before the break, Armin Gigovic picked up the ball in the Union box, his back to goal.

He looked up, taking it sideways, before taking his time to hit his shot past Rönnow’s outstretched right hand. Kiel were a goal to the good, and despite Union’s efforts, would remain so going into the break.

Union push on towards goal, but can’t break through

Steffen Baumgart made a single change at half time, like-for-like, as he sent Andrej Ilic on for Ljubicic, and they roared out of the traps, with only Timo Becker’s outstretched  leg getting in the way of Jeong’s shot, after another fine stop from Weiner had somehow kept out Remberg’s unfortunate deflection towards his own goal. Becker then had to get across quickly to stop Hollerbach after he had skipped inside of Lasse Rosenboom as he cut in from the left.

Querfeld flicked a header goalwards after Doekhi’s bicycle kick from another corner, but again Weiner was equal to it, with too little pace on the ball to really trouble the keeper.

Rönnow was called into action for the first time in the half with another eight minutes gone, diving to hold Shuto Machino’s effort from distance. He did well, as calm as ever, as his shot was well placed, heading inside Union’s left-hand post.

Union were still largely the better side though throughout much of the half, however, and Diogo Leite was annoyed as he couldn’t take a free kick quickly when Gigovic brought down Querfeld just inside Union’s half. It was eventually hit long into the box, and again Doekhi rose to meet it, but if his header dropped wide, the sprawling Weiner probably had it covered.

The game swung back and forth, and the Kiel players were celebrating after Knudsen had the ball in the back of the net, though he’d strayed just offside as he ran onto Machino’s clever pass.

With just over 25 minutes to play Baumgart brought László Bénes and Jerome Roussillon on for Jeong and Rothe, and the Unioner in the stands were incensed as Weiner went down under pressure from Doekhi and Querfeld as they all jumped for another corner together. The fans’ derision intensified when the goalkeeper returned to his feet after a brief check from the Kiel medical team.

After the brief moment of warm and fulsome applause for the arrival on the pitch of the returning Skrzybski, they back behind their team again as Machino put his 20-yard drive just past the top corner, having set himself well for the shot.

There were more chances, and with Kevin Volland and Tim Skarke preparing to come on for Hollerbach and Tousart, Weinert saved well at the feet of Juranović. Skarke made his impression felt immediately, being tussled off the ball as he barged his way into the box with his first touch. Volland would see yellow almost as quickly when he caught Remberg from behind as Kiel threatened to break up the middle.

“If I look at the first half, we did well until the goal. We were better, but didn't get the reward,” said Querfeld later on. “When you then go behind and can't manage to equalise in 50 minutes, it's pretty bitter. Despite all the passion to score the goal, it didn't work out.’

There was now a growing sense of urgency, palpable among the Union players, as Kiel looked to play for time whenever they could. Zec went down lightly, and trudged off the pitch like he was walking through treacle; with five minutes still to play, Rosenboom went down with cramp while already on the floor. When Skarke was brought down, Bénes was on the ball in a flash, urging his team-mates on towards the box.

But for all Union’s huffing and puffing, Kiel’s house remained steadfast, their excellent, organised defence providing the most solid of foundations. Skarke somehow connected with a ball that had flashed across goal but was off balance; Volland was shepherded away as he tried to turn near the left hand upright. Marco Komenda looped a header away from Ilic after Roussillon’s arcing, swinging cross across the box.

Roussillon was determined, winning another corner off the boot of Marvin Schultz as the seven minutes of time added on began and union threw everything at Kiel. This time even Rönnow joined them all in the box, and even though he met the set-piece, his header flew over too.

“We are well aware of what is at stake, and you could see that in the boys' performance,” said Baumgart after the final whistle. “It's annoying to concede a goal from the opponent's first attack and then have to play for 50 minutes. Overall, we weren't the worse team, but we were the ones who lost. And that once again against a direct competitor. Now we have to stay focused and just get the points.”

Rönnow slipped badly on the turf as he tried to hit a final long pass up top with the final whistle looming, and the ball flew out of play. It was a fitting metaphor for a day they'll care to forget.