In a wonderful, drama-filled match, 1. FC Union Berlin beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 away on Sunday afternoon. Having gone a goal down in the first half, Leopold Querfeld and Wooyeong Jeong both scored before Frederik Rönnow sealed things with a 95^th minute penalty save.

1. FC Union Berlin: Rönnow - Trimmel (71. Rothe), Doekhi, Querfeld, Leite, Juranovic – Haberer (71. Jeong), Khedira, Tousart (55. Schäfer) - Skarke (55. Hollerbach), Ilic 

SG Eintracht Frankfurt: Trapp - Collins, Tuta, Theate - Kristensen, Höjlund, Larsson, Brown – Bahoya (60. Götze), Uzun – Batshuayi (60. Ekitiké) 

The starting XI:

For the trip to Frankfurt, Steffen Baumgart made four changes to the side that started last week against Kiel. But at the back, all was the same as Frederik Rönnow lined up behind the three of Diogo leite, Leopold Querfeld and Diogo Leite

Christopher Trimmel came in on the right for a Josip Juranović who had switched sides, to replace Tom Rothe on the left-hand side. Rani Khedira was at the base of midfield, with Lucas Tousart and the returning Janik Haberer, replacing Wooyeong Jeong. Tim Skarke joined Andrej Ilic up front, in for Marin Ljubicic and Benedict Hollerbach.

Attendance: 58.000 

Goals: 1-0 Batshuayi (13.), 1-1 Querfeld (62.), 1-2 Jeong (78.) 

Batshuayi takes his chance, Union can’t find the break-through

At the final whistle Frederik Rönnow was nearly flattened by his team-mates. Union’s head coach, Steffen Baumgart, had said that his side “took our hearts in our hands,” during this pulsating, wild game. And how. The stopper’s sense of drama would reach new heights as he flung himself to save Elye Wahi’s 94^th minute penalty, but that had been just the crowning moment.

Union’s plans for this crucial tie showed early on, as Christopher Trimmel lofted a ball up towards Ilic, and Lucas Tousart and Rani Khedira got their elbows out, fighting for the ball in midfield. All would be seen throughout the first half, as Union fought to break out of their recent run of poor results.

The first real break, however, came from the hosts down their right-hand side, but Josip Juranović, just getting used to his position on the opposite side to that he normally occupies, was perfectly placed to clear before Rasmus Kristensen’s ball found Can Uzun, trotting into space near the edge of the box. If he was new to left-back, it didn’t show there.

Eintracht had found their feet, starting to pass the ball at pace moving forwards, and organised at the back. Their offside trap was perfectly set when Tim Skarke bustled onto a long ball into the inside right channel, and the flag went up immediately. He was next called into action when Trimmel aimed the highest of looping balls his way, if Lucas Tuta won the duel.

Communication would be key, and with ten minutes played Fares Chaibi looked to test Union’s back-line. Rönnow’s call for Leopold Querfeld was somehow audible over the din of the 3,000 and some Union fans directly behind him, basking in the sunshine and roaring in their corner of this huge stadium. Querfeld, duly instructed, left the ball and the stopper cleared.

But with 12 minutes played, the hosts took the lead. Nathaniel Brown jinked his way towards the box, putting the ball through Querfeld’s legs on the way before laying it off for Kristensen. His shot was stopped, again by Querfeld, but this time he had the bitterest of luck, and had to watch from the floor as it dropped to the feet of Michy Batshuayi who finished past a sprawling Rönnow and inside the back post, it was a cool finish, he was happy to accept the fortunate gift.

Union weren’t beaten, they roused themselves, and Andre Ilic produced a wonderful piece of skill as he flicked Juranović’s dropping ball inside with his back to goal, spinning around Pharrell Collins, volleying hard and true, but just wide of goal.

After the desperate cries from the home support for a penalty after Jean-Matteo Bahoya went down in the box easily having burst into the box, next it was Skarke’s turn to test Kevin Trapp, but he put his shot too close to the former German international’s right. He tried to turn provider after 22 minutes, rising to flick the ball on for Haberer, but Trapp was out off his line quickly.

Eintracht would have their next chance three minutes later when Fares Chaibi looped a header speculatively back across the box, and for a moment it seemed to be dropping just under the bar, but Rönnow reacted, punching it away, taking no chances.

Trimmel was showing his full range of passing at the other end. He beat Chaibi on the outside, taking him on, belying his years, and rolled a deadly little cross across goal, the ball passing Janik Haberer’s outstretched boot by an inch as he ghosted into the six-yard box.

Querfeld was constantly involved whenever Eintracht attacked, first needing Rönnow to hold the ball as he scuffed an attempted clearance into the heavens, then standing his ground as Chaibi tried to jink his way through the box. It was a superb piece of defending, and with it the half was up.

The game had flickered. But they hadn’t seen anything yet.

A wild second half sees Querfeld and Jeong score, before Rönnow’s last minute heroics seals the win

Having been last off the pitch, the Union players were first back out, unchanged, for the second half, but they were almost immediately called into defence as Chaibi and Uzun tried to create something in the box. Diogo Leite cleared the danger this time, and he would do so again as Eintracht attacked down the right, and Batshuayi tried to turn inside the box.

Union were creating chances though, looking sharp and determined, and again Trimmel broke down the right, this time cutting inside and laying the ball square for Khedira who was free in space. Agonisingly, again, however, the ball dribbled just behind him. They just couldn’t catch a break.

So, after ten minutes of the half played, Steffen Baumgart made his first changes, bringing Benedict Hollerbach and Andras Schäfer on for Skarke and Tousart. Schäfer was floored by Hugo Larsson almost straight away, left in a heap, the referee, Frank Willenborg, reaching for his yellow card immediately.

Khedira was livid - he’d been right there as his team-mate was caught - but was back in the Eintracht box for the ensuing free kick, and was in just the right position as it got headed back across goal, taking a touch or two in the chaotic sprawl of players on the way. Under pressure, his volley went down into the ground and flew an inch over Trapp’s goal.

It then took an excellent challenge from Tuta to deny Ilic as he looked primed and ready to finish, but it was a corner conceded that would have the greatest of consequences for Eintracht, as among them all in the box, it was Querfeld who rose highest to reach Trimmel’s outswinging set-piece, heading it firmly, superbly past Trapp.

It was his first goal for Union, and he was mobbed by his team-mates as they celebrated in the last spot of sunshine left on the pitch, the joy pouring off them, self-confidence again filling them.

Union were back in it, but their hearts were in their mouths almost immediately after as Hugo Larsson flashed a shot just over Rönnow’s bar, first time. The game had taken life.

Hugo Ekitike seemed certain to score before Trimmel’s astonishing sliding tackle stopped him in his tracks. But what the captain could do, Rönnow could do better, as he sprung to his right to fingertip Kristensen’s drive onto the back post when it seemed destined to go in.

The game flew one way, and then the other, and Juranović was next in on the act when he cut inside and let fly, bending his shot towards the back post, but sending it just over the bar.

Soon enough Trimmel would be replaced by Tom Rothe, alongside Wooyeong Jeong for Haberer, with Juranović switching back to his usual spot on the right. It had been an excellent day’s work for the captain.

Then, with 15 minutes to play, Union took the lead. Jeong was played in by Hollerbach, central, the ball at his toe. He could have shot immediately, but decided against it, cutting back on himself, looking as if he would lay it off for the onrushing Hollerbach. Taking his time, with a coolness few of the fans in full sight of him could muster, he shot with minimum back lift, hitting the ball hard and true past Trapp.

Frankfurt tried to get back into things, but as Ansgar Knauff chased another long ball, Danilho Doekhi went as hard as he could to chase the ball down. None of them were going to give this up easily, and there were scattered whistles in the crowd as the Eintracht players looed to break down the now obdurate and tightly set Union lines.

Again Jeong broke forwards, bursting rightwards this time. He crossed perfectly for the flying Hollerbach, looking for the return ball and he clattered it over the line at full stretch.

For the longest of moments Union were 3-1 up, but it wasn’t to be. As Schäfer had won the ball in the build up it had jumped up onto his hand along the way. After a lengthy check, the goal was ruled out, to the delight of the home fans.

It was cruel, but for drama, it was nothing to which was still to come. Knauff whipped a cross into the Union box for Elye Wahi. As he jumped to head at the near post Doekhi was there too, his hand raised. If the previous handball had gone against Union, so would this, and Willenborg pointed to the spot.

The clock was now on 94 minutes. Everything was at stake.

Ekitike took a long run-up, and connected with the ball well enough, but there are few surer at spot-kicks than Rönnow. He guessed correctly, flinging himself to his right, palming the ball away to bedlam in the Union end.

At the end Trimmel was cautious, of course. He’s been through too much at this club to see things any other way, when he said, “I'm happy, but I'm not exaggerating today. It was a good step, but some things are still missing.”

What was on show, however, was a joy.