1. FC Union Berlin and Dynamo Dresden draw 0-0
Sunday Stalemate:
1. FC Union Berlin couldn't find a way to break down ten-man Dynamo Dresden at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei as Sunday's game ended 0-0.
Urs Fischer's men are still to suffer defeat in competitive action this season.
1. FC Union Berlin: Gikiewicz; Trimmel, Friedrich, Hübner, Reichel; Kroos, Prömel, Schmiedebachb (Zulj 59); Mees (Abdullahi 59), Andersson (Polter 78), Gogia
Dynamo Dresden: Schubert; Wahlqvist, Gonther, Hamalainen, Heise; Nikolaou, Hartmann; Benatelli, Aosman (Berko 85), Ebert (Alik 90); Kone (Djuljevic 73)
Attendance: 22,012
Making his first competitive start for 1. FC Union Berlin, Joshua Mees was given a starting berth of the left side of the front line following his cameo appearance last week in Paderborn. The Köpenick club put the visitors under some early pressure with a bunch of corner kicks in the first 10 minutes, which were relatively well dealt with by Dresden keeper Markus Schubert. Ken Reichel blasted a volley over the bar before a shot from skipper Christopher Trimmel landed in the side netting. Maik Walpurgis’ men went down to 10 men after 35 minutes when Sven Jablonski showed Jannis Nikolaou his second yellow card in the space of nine minutes. The referee adjudged Florian Hübner to be in an offside position when he headed past Schubert, three minutes before the end of the first half.
There was a final chance at the half-time break to give a belated farewell for former Union Berlin defender Toni Leistner who joined English side Queens Park Rangers in the summer. The 28-year-old, brought up in Dresden, played 119 times for the Köpenick club in a spell, which lasted four seasons at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
The first quarter of an hour in the second half passed without little event, prompting Fischer to change things up around the hour mark. Suleiman Abdullahi, who joined from Eintracht Braunschweig this summer, made his Union debut, while Robert Zulj added an injection of creativity to the balance in the middle of the park. Abdullahi and Sebastian Andersson got in each other’s way on 63 minutes when Schubert’s goal was gaping. The Nigerian was joined up top by Sebastian Polter in the final 12 minutes and Union created more in the attacking zones. Grischa Prömel smashed a shot from 30 yards against the upright and Akaki Gogia cracked the spot in second half stoppage time.
