1. FC Union Berlin played out a gripping goalless draw with RasenBallsport Leipzig on Saturday evening. Despite being the better side, and having had the vast majority of shots, including Jordan’s last gasp chance that was somehow cleared off the line, they can be happy with a point well earned.

1. FC Union Berlin: Rönnow – Juranovic (71. Trimmel), Doekhi, Leite, Skov (84. Roussillon) – Khedira, Bénes, Haberer (77. Tousart) – Skarke (71. Jeong), Prtajin (71. Siebatcheu), Hollerbach  

RasenBallsport Leipzig: Gulácsi – Baku (71. Lukeba), Klostermann, Orbán, Bitshiabu (46. Haidara), Raum – Baumgartner (77. Poulsen), Seiwald (71. Kampl), Xavi – Openda (46. Nusa), Sesko 

The starting XI

Steffen Baumgart rung in the changes following last week’s loss at St. Pauli, starting with the re-appearance since the middle of December of goalkeeper, Frederik Rönnow.

He reverted to his favoured back four, with Robert Skov and Josip Juranović, left and right respectively, of Diogo Leite and Danilho Doekhi. Leopold Querfeld was suspended.

While Janik Haberer remained in central midfield, he was partnered by Rani Khedira, in for Aljoscha Kemlein. They were to play behind the trident of Benedict Hollerbach, Laszlo Bénes, in for Andras Schäfer, and Tim Skarke. Ivan Prtajin would take the place of Jordan Siebatcheu, making his first team debut as the central striker.

Attendance: 22,012

A stilted silent protest precedes a goalless half.

After 49 days in the injury wilderness Frederik Rönnow was back in front of the Waldseite, sweeping up the simplest of balls played in towards Ikoma-Lois Opendia. His presence was reassuring for the Unioner, but they couldn’t show their appreciation, not yet, as the traditional 15 minutes silence held for this opponent – eerie, nervy, punctuated by spittle-flecked shh’s and stifled gasps – held throughout the stadium.

But, at least for the first five minutes, as little happened on the pitch, the silence was easier held. Debutant, Ivan Prtajin got his first touch, if at the wrong end, flicking away a corner from the Union penalty spot. Benedict Hollerbach, twitching in anticipation of the ball all day, won a free kick that Josip Juranović clipped in towards the rising Danilho Doekhi.

Union were to try to play on the front foot as much as they could, however. They were fearless; as Tim Skarke said after the final whistle, “We showed that we never give up and that we can create many chances.” And how they did. The final tally would read 21 of theirs to Leipzig’s six.

László Bénes hit a wicked pass first time with his left on the turn in towards the box after ten minutes, having drifted out to the touchline to receive Janik Haberer’s flick forwards, before, at the other end, Opendia burst into a gap, inside right, but Doekhi was more than equal to his waist high attempt at a cross.

It wasn’t all serious. The silence was first broken, not in joy, not pain, but in derision as Leipzig’s Xavi Simon hit the roof of the Waldseite as he tried to aim a volley towards goal from outside the box.

But after quarter of an hour, the fans could roar again, and as they did Union started to make an impression on their guests. Another Bénes ball in was held up by Prtajin ably; another challenge by Haberer in the middle on Nicolas Seiwald was timed to perfection. Prtajin then flashed at a volley from Skarke’s excellent cross in from the right, having taken a long ball down, moving it along the touchline in one lightning movement.

Hollerbach bent one past the top corner after 23 minutes having carried the ball 20 yards at his toe, jinking this way and that as he went. Union almost went one better as again, Hollerbach burst forwards, this time cutting the ball back cleverly for Haberer. Few have a better shooting technique than the hero of the last day of last season, but this time he drilled the ball an inch wide of the back post having set himself.

Union’s pair in central defence were imperious as the half wore on. Equal to everything; Doekhi blocked Benjamin Sesko’s shot, Leite won the ball on the halfway line with his studs, finding Bénes like he’d stroked it with his laces.

Still Union attacked, they were the better side throughout, and there was a moment of brief panic in the Leipzig ranks as Seiwald turned Prtajin’s cross back through his legs towards his own keeper, Peter Gulacsi. He, however, was alive to the danger. Then Skarke seized upon El-Chadaille Bitschiabu’s loose ball out, finding Bénes who dovetailed with Juranović before the guests again cleared the ball away.

Khedira and Bénes combined with a lovely pair of touches in one of the moments of the half, before the former played in Prtajin, but the striker’s first touch was just too heavy. Prtajin then took Bénes’ smart ball out right, finding him with the return which he clipped on the turn, towards goal, though without enough pace on it to really trouble Gulacsi.

Then, as half time loomed, it took a last-ditch tackle from Bitshiabu to upend Prtajin as he looked to squirm into space by the Leipzig left-hand upright.

Baumgart could be happy at the break. His side had played superbly so far.

Jordan sees his effort implausibly stopped, as Union are well worth their point

Union’s first attempt on goal - in a second half that had started with no changes from the head coach, Baumgart - saw Prtajin leaping to meet Bénes’ chipped in cross, but his header looped into the hands of Gulacsi as he stretched for the ball under the bar. Leipzig countered but Sesko hit his volley, with time to spare, over Rönnow’s bar. Union’s keeper just watched the ball sail over his head, an impassive look on his face. He then drew applause from Juranović as he swept up after the Croatian had lunged in, deflecting a cross from the left that looked like it would go out for a corner.

Union were dogged, determined and diligent. And even as Leipzig threatened to break through Simons up the middle, Skarke was across the width of the pitch in a moment, making a fine, clean tackle, taking enough of the man in the process to leave him in a heap in the centre-circle. Leipzig had the ball in the net shortly afterwards, but the referee, Daniel Schlager, had already been notified of the slightest of offsides in the build-up.

But this was an outlier, they couldnt get a moments peace whenever they had the ball, Union’s pressing causing them no end of problems, from Prtajin on back, the hosts looked a completely different side to that which had lost in Hamburg last weekend. And Hollerbach was closer still when he drew a good stop from Gulacsi with just over 20 minutes to play. He stuttered over the ball before cracking it, with little back-lift, but despite the pace on the ball, it was at too good a height for the keeper.

Union’s pressure was unremitting now, with the superb Juranović constantly in the Leipzig half on the right, bringing Skarke into play with a gorgeous dummy. It was the last chance they’d have though, as soon after the pair were joined by Prtajin on the bench, replaced by Christopher Trimmel, Wooyeong Jeong and Jordan Siebatcheu. Lucas Tousart was on the pitch five minutes later, on for the excellent Haberer.

Rönnow saved Simons’ shot at waist height without batting an eyelid, taking the ball into his chest like he’d been passed the baby. He held that old Union foe, Yussuf Poulsen’s header, flicked back over his head, with equal calmness, though it was much more difficult to deal with.

At the other end Jeong drew another stop from Gulacsi, his reflexes showing again as he flicked out his hands.

Jerome Rousillon came on with seven minutes to play, Baumgarts final change of a frantic half, and was immediately in full flow on the left, played in on the overlap by another telling Benes pass from the middle. His cross towards Jordan in the box was flicked out for a corner with a certain amount of good fortune. The Frenchman over with 88 minutes gone flowing a lovely move started by Trimmel, via Tousart and Jeong.

As the final five minutes played out, Leipzig finally seemed to have a little wind in their sails, but Union were equal to everything that came their way; Trimmel and Doekhi both winning towering headers in the box, Khedira taking one to the back of the head he knew little about.

Baumgart was delighted at the final whistle, if he’d have liked to see a winner from his side. “I think we played well,” he said. “… but that's football: if you don't score goals, you can only draw. It's important for us to perform well in away games too and then we'll get step by step back on track.”

But it could have been so different, and was in the Leipzig goal where the final drama would play out. Somehow a combination of Gulacsi’s presence, and the flying limbs of Junior Lukeba and Sesko combined to implausibly stop Jordan’s close range shot from crossing the line after the keeper had flapped at a high ball, panic breaking out all around him. Jordan couldn’t believe it. Having hit the bar three times in the last four games, this seemed impossible.

But the ball dribbled away, and the final whistle blew. If his bad luck in front of goal is never-ending, he could console himself with the fact that he had still been part of an immense performance.