1. FC Union Berlin continued their unbeaten record in the league with a 1-1 draw at Jahn Regensburg at the Continental-Arena.
Sebastian Polter and Jann George scored in the final 60 seconds of the first half to share the spoils. Grischa Prömel was sent off in the second half after collecting two yellow cards.
The point in Regensburg is Union's fourth consecutive tie in the 2.Bundesliga after draws against Heidenheim, Paderborn and Dynamo Dresden.
Union Berlin: Gikiewicz; Ryerson, Friedrich, Hübner, Reichel; Prömel, Schmiedebach, Zulj (Andersson 64); Gogia (Hartel 63), Polter (Parensen 82), Mees
Wednesday's strenuous exertions in Dortmund understandably encouraged head coach Urs Fischer towards squad rotation with the Köpenick club making five changes from the extra-time DFB Pokal defeat. Sebastian Polter, Joshua Mees and Akaki Gogia led from the front, while Ken Reichel was restored at left full-back. Norwegian U21 international Julian Ryerson made his first league start for Union Berlin since his arrival from Viking Stavanger in the summer. Sebastian Andersson, Marcel Hartel, Kenny Prince Redondo, Christopher Lenz and Christopher Trimmel dropped out.
The first 45 minutes were intensive without a lot of quality in the final third to show for it. Regensburg looked to start on the front foot after scoring three goals in Bochum last weekend. Union Berlin, with the strongest defence in the 2.Bundesliga, looked organised and compact, with Marvin Friedrich wearing the captain's armband at the heart of the back-four. Robert Zulj shot over the crossbar in the 19th minute, the best attacking passage for Union of the game so far.
However, referee Sascha Stegemann gave the home side a golden chance to lead when Sargis Adamyan went down under pressure from Reichel. Rafal Gikiewicz was equal to the penalty kick from Sebastian Stolze to keep the scores level on the half-hour mark. As the half drew to a close, Prömel's surging run into the box opened up the space for Polter to tap home the opening goal. Union Berlin's lead was short lived in stoppage time of the first half, with George curling a right-foot shot into the top corner to bring the scores level at the interval.
The pattern of the first continued into the second period with Regensburg starting on top. Gikiewicz was strong to block the path of goalscorer George when the home side's forward ran through on the Union goal. Fischer introduced Hartel and Andersson at the turn of the hour point and Union looked a more dangerous proposition in attack with two conventional strikers up front. Indeed, on 71 minutes, a great run and cross from Ryerson was met by Polter whose header was kept out by an outstanding stop from Regensburg keeper Philipp Pentke.
Union looked more likely to get the second goal, but Stegemann showed a second yellow card to Prömel on 77 minutes after an aerial challenge in the middle of the park. Even with the inferior numbers, Union still carved out the game-changing chance at the end — Reichel turning the ball home after a good move involving Hartel and Mees. But after long deliberation the referee and his assistant decided to call for offside and leave the Berliners hanging on with just a point to take back to the capital.
Union Berlin return to 2.Bundesliga business in Regensburg
Match preview
After midweek disappointment in Dortmund, 1. FC Union Berlin return to league duty against SSV Jahn Regensburg on Sunday November 4 (13:30) at the Continental Arena.
Review: Union stalemate, high-scoring Regensburg
Urs Fischer’s side still boasts an unbeaten record in league football and is out to get back to winning ways this weekend after three successive draws. Union drew a blank last Sunday at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei against Dynamo Dresden who played about an hour of the game with 10 players following Jannis Nikolaou’s dismissal. Jahn Regensburg, meanwhile, are six games without a loss in the second division and sit ninth in the table, among a ruck of clubs with 16 points from 11 games. Regensburg, the third-highest scorers in the league with 20 goals, picked up a point last time out after a 3-3 draw in Bochum.
Record: Union with the advantage
Last season, Jahn Regensburg secured their 2.Bundesliga status for the first time with an impressive fifth-placed finish under the stewardship of Achim Beierlorzer. On their previous stints in the second tier, they have immediately returned to lower-league football in both 2004 and 2013. Regensburg have experienced victory against Union on one occasion — a 3-1 win over the Berliners back in 2004 when both teams were relegated back to the German third division.
Union Berlin have won five of the other eight encounters, with three draws also. Union’s last visit to the Continental Arena in Regensburg was a success, a 2-0 win with goals from Sebastian Polter and Akaki Gogia. “It’s a team that is in a very good momentum at the moment, which achieves results but that is also justified by their performances,” said coach Fischer at today’s media conference. “They are well organised in a 4-4-2 shape, get the ball quickly after losing it and are dangerous in transitions.”
Fischer confirmed at the pre-game press briefing that there were no fresh injury concerns ahead of Sunday’s match. Marc Torrejon remains on the recovery path to the first-team, while Felix Kroos will also miss out after a recent injury.
Service: Union fans can buy tickets in Regensburg
The Union side will be cheered on by around a thousand supporters at the Continental Arena in Regensburg, with 800 already purchased. Supporters wishing to pick up a ticket on the day can get them from the box offices at the stadium.
