1. FC Union Berlin battled well in the opening quarter of an hour. Sebastian Andersson drove into a dangerous position, the ball striking off Willi Orban and landing to Marius Bülter but the cutback for Robert Andrich was cleared. Andersson threatened after 10 minutes but a deflection sent the ball out for a corner kick. Despite the vocal support from the supporters, Julian Nagelsmann’s team went ahead in the 16th minute, Marcel Halstenberg striking past Rafal Gikiewicz with his right foot. The video assistant referee intervened after 23 minutes and took away a goal from a corner kick for the visitors due to handball. But Marcel Sabitzer rifled in the third on 31 minutes before Timo Werner scored the third three minutes before the end of the first half.
Fischer introduced Anthony Ujah at the half-time interval with Christian Gentner making way. Werner dashed in behind three minutes after the restart but Gikeiwicz blocked at his feet. A double save from the Polish keeper a minute later kept the scoreline down. Sheraldo Becker made his first Bundesliga appearance with around half an hour to go and showed his speed and dribbling ability on several occasions. Although Union threatened with more regularity, the away team added a fourth through substitute Nkunku. Sebastian Polter was introduced before the restart of play, but the Union number 9 was unable to assist in a comeback.
Union Berlin’s Bundesliga campaign heads on the road for the first time next weekend with Fischer’s side travelling to FC Augsburg on Saturday August 26 at 15:30. There are some tickets remaining on sale for our first away match of the season.
Union Berlin makes Bundesliga debut at home to Leipzig
Match preview
The Stadion An der Alten Försterei will be packed to the limits as 1. FC Union Berlin kick off their first match in the Bundesliga against RB Leipzig on Sunday at 18:00 local time.
Urs Fischer’s promoted side return to league action, nearly 12 weeks after the dramatic night on May 27 when Union secured a place in the top division with a play-off victory over VfB Stuttgart.
Review: Union Berlin limber up with win in Halberstadt, Leipzig get through in Osnabrück
The fifth Berlin-based club to play in the Bundesliga, 1. FC Union Berlin booked their place in the DFB Pokal second round with a 6-0 drubbing of Germania Halberstadt. Fischer was left delighted with six different players getting their name on the scoresheet — Keven Schlotterbeck, Sebastian Andersson, Christopher Lenz, Joshua Mees, Robert Andrich and Anthony Ujah. Overall, Fischer’s team have gone down to a defeat just once in pre-season — the loss at home to Celta Vigo. With 11 new faces in the squad, Union have been hard at work to ready themselves for Bundesliga action.
Meanwhile, there have been changes at RB Leipzig over the summer break. Julian Nagelsmann, formerly of Hoffenheim, has taken the reigns under the general management of Ralf Rangnick. Leipzig finished third last season with 66 points and ended runner-up in Germany’s DFB Pokal. Over 50 million euros have been spent improving the squad at Nagelsmann’s disposal — Ademola Lookman signed from Everton, Chris Nkunku from PSG, Hannes Wolf from Salzburg, Luan from Palmeiras and Ethan Ampadu on loan from Chelsea. This summer’s pre-season results have been slightly mixed with losses to Zürich and Aston Villa alongside wins against Galatasaray and Rennes. Leipzig also earned their progress to the second round of the Pokal with a 3-2 win in Osnabrück.
Record: Positive record in Köpenick
When RB Leipzig competed in the 2.Bundesliga, they made two visits to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei in 2014 and 2015. Leipzig's first trip to Köpenick ended in a 2-1 defeat with Sebastian Polter scoring a double for Union. In August 2015, Union and Leipzig played out a 1-1 draw with Sören Brandy finding the net for the capital club. The away games are another story: Leipzig have won both times in competitive action.
Fischer: “It’s always hard in the first games”
The Swiss coach was asked how Union would prepare for the opening game, with Leipzig under new management from this season onwards. “In the first game there’s always difficulties. There’s little video material available, but there are pre-season matches, which you can scout. You can see patterns and principles in them. We also know Nagelsmann from before in Hoffenheim. Sure, after five or six games, you start to know the opponent better,” he said.
Service: No tickets left
Sunday’s game in Köpenick has been sold out for several weeks. The secondary ticket market remains open for members but there will be no option to buy at the stadium before kick-off.
