Classic victory over SC Paderborn in 2008
Union Rewind:
Almost 10 years to the day — and given SC Paderborn are our opponents on Sunday — it's worth looking back to a game which will long live in the memory for Union Berlin supporters.
Saturday October 25, 2008 | 3.Liga, Matchday 11
Paderborn raced into a two-goal lead at the Jahn-Sportpark in Berlin, the temporary home of 1. FC Union Berlin while renovations were ongoing at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
Every point mattered for 1. FC Union Berlin in the chase for promotion to the 2.Bundesliga. The team, coached by Uwe Neuhaus, were up against some tough opposition in the newly-formed nationwide third-tier in German football. Some of their rivals included Fortuna Düsseldorf, Eintracht Braunschweig, Dynamo Dresden, Kickers Offenbach ... and of course, Paderborn.
The game looked basically done as a contest after 66 minutes with Paderborn ahead by two goals in the capital and the Köpenick club down to 10 men. However, Neuhaus' side produced a stunning comeback — kicked off by Karim Benyamina who would go on to score 62 goals for 1. FC Union Berlin in 192 appearances. Nico Patschinski equalised and was later replaced by Union's current assistant coach Sebastian Bönig.
Paderborn, then 3rd in the table, looked rattled. A speculative long ball wasn't dealt with by the away side's defence and Benyamina raced clear to score the winner with four minutes left. 3-2.
2008/09 — Promotion season
Uwe Neuhaus, the most successful coach in the club's history, led the club to promotion from the third-tier to the 2.Bundesliga in 2008/09 — the second time Union had reached this level of German professional football following a three-year stint in the early noughties. Union lost just four times from 38 matches in domestic action and beat Fortuna Düsseldorf and Paderborn to top spot in the table. Algerian international Benyamina scored 16 times in 32 appearances for the Berliners in the promotion-winning campaign.
