The women's team of 1. FC Union Berlin suffered their first defeat in the Regionalliga Nordost on Sunday, losing 4-2 away at Magdeburger FFC, who are still unbeaten at the Heinrich-Germer-Stadion.

Magdeburger FFC: Rudloff - Seidler, Krüger, Hildebrand (90+1. Schneider), Bölke (90+1. Prigge), Abraham (90+1. Morillo), Schulz, Temp, Cienskowski, Ellermann, Unzeitig (68. Träbert)

1. FC Union Berlin: Wagner - Wildner, Gericke, Scheel (90. Görsdorf), Bach - Wimmer, Kratz, Heiseler - Krauss (66. Reichenbach), Youssef, Reissner

Goals: 0:1 Krauss (22.), 1:1 Krüger (32.), 2:1 Abraham (38.), 3:1 Bölke (45+2.), 3:2 Kratz (50.), 4:2 Abraham (81.)

Attendance: 75

Magdeburg counter after Union's opening goal

Union's head coach, Ailien Poese, made three changes from the side who beat Türkiyemspor 3-1 at home a fortnight ago. Luca Scheel, Hannah Kratz and Lina Krauss replaced Marie Becker, Zita Rurack and Elisa Spolaczyk, who were all out injured.

The hosts, currently fifth in the table, had the first big chance of the game when, in the 7th minute, striker Melina Krüger bore down upon Union keeper Melanie Wagner's goal after a lightning break, but Wagner stopped her superbly.

Union struggled initially but started to drag themselves into the game, and created their firrst chance through Lina Krauss, who, however, could only hit the crossbar with her shot from outside the box in the 14th minute. But Magdeburg also remained dangerous, and only a minute later Wagner had to intervene again after a corner.

Magdeburg's goalkeeper, Florentine Rudloff, also distinguished herself for the first time in the 20th minute when she saved a header by Naika Reissner. Two minutes later, however, the keeper was powerless. Lina Krauss pushing the ball over the line to give Union the lead. Hannah Kratz had won the ball in the opposition penalty area and crossed the ball to the far post, where Krauss was completely free to finish with ease.

However, the lead lasted only ten minutes. After a quick combination, Magdeburg's Melina Krüger, having already failed to beat Wagner in the seventh minute, found herself again completely free in the penalty area and this time slid in to equalise. However, things got even worse for the Union when in the 38th minute, a misplaced back pass set up Magdeburg's Neele Abraham, who turned the game around with her goal to make it 2-1.

Then in injury time, Magdeburg scored a third goal after another Union mistake. They countered with pace and skill immediately and went in 3-1 up at the break

Union score but can't turn the tide

Union came out for the second half with the bit between their teeth.In only the in the 47th minute, captain Lisa Heiseler had a great chance to make it 3-2 when she found herself free in front of goal after a pass from Lina Krauss, but her shot flew over. This was followed two minutes later by a goal by Naika Reissner that was chalked off for offside.  It set the tone for the second half.

Union finally scored again in the 51st minute through the 19 year old Hannah Kratz's curious cross / shot, that dropped just under the crossbar.

But try as they might, they kept running up against a brick wall in a superb Mageburg defendce.  In the 70th minute, however, Reissner had a great chance when she burst into the penalty area, but failed to beat Rudloff from close range. A free kick by Pauline Wimmer also flew just over the goal with just over 15 minutes to go. Union dominated the game in the second half, while Magdeburg played within their limits, staying solid and waiting for chances to catch an increasingly stretched Union on the break.

Then in the 81st minute they did it. Melina Krüger dribbled past two Union defenders and passed laid the ball off simply to fellow striker Neele Abraham, who scored her second goal. Union never gave up, Pauline Wimmer hitting the bar with five minutes to go from a free kick, but they were unable to take at least a point away with them from Saxony-Anhalt.

As a result, Union dropped down to third in the table, two points behind Viktoria Berlin and Türkiyemspor.

The coach's views on the match

Union's head coach Poese looked back on the match, saying, "Magdeburg used their own quality up front effectively and convincingly and we failed to defend consistently after our taking the lead in the first half. Our team fought courageously and gave everything they had, but unfortunately failed to score the goal we needed despite numerous opportunities."

Outlook

Next Sunday, 13.11.2022, are back at home against 7th place FC Carl Zeiss Jena II, and this means literally, at home. For the first time this season Union's women will play in the Stadion an der Alten Försterei. kick off is at 14:00. Admission is free.