Union Berlin and Dynamo Dresden play out 0-0 draw
Sunday Stalemate:
1. FC Union Berlin were held to a 0-0 draw by Dynamo Dresden at the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion.
Joshua Mees had the best chance for the Köpenick club in the third minute, but Urs Fischer's team were unable to find the cutting edge after the break.
Dynamo Dresden: Schubert; Wahlqvist (Möschl 60), Dumic, Ballas, Gonther, Kreuzer; Burnic, Atik, Berko; Atilgan (Kone 71), Duljevic (Röser 83)
1. FC Union Berlin: Gikiewicz; Trimmel, Hübner, Friedrich, Reichel; Kroos (Zulj 83), Schmiedebach, Prömel; Andersson (Polter 76), Gogia (Hartel 68), Mees
Union started the match in Dresden with four changes to the side from last week. Christopher Lenz (neck) and Suleiman Abdullahi (muscle strain) dropped out through injury, while Carlos Mane and Robert Zulj took their spot on the bench. Fischer restored Ken Reichel to left-back, brought Felix Kroos back into midfield and started with Akaki Gogia and Joshua Mees in attack. The two, who supported Sebastian Andersson, were involved in Union’s best move of the half as early as the third minute. Reichel cut the ball inside to Mees and his shot was saved by Markus Schubert, before Gogia missed the rebound. Union looked in control of the tempo, passing the ball around and looking for the opening in the Dresden defence. On 19 minutes, Schubert saved well with his feet to deny Andersson who combined cleverly with Mees on the edge of the box. The Köpenick club threatened before the interval from set-piece situations, but Florian Hübner headed both his efforts over the crossbar.
Former Dynamo Dresden player Gogia threatened at the start of the second half. He squeezed a pass through for Andersson, three minutes in, but the Swede hit the side netting with the finish. Andersson attacked another Gogia cross at the front post despite the Dresden back line giving him little space. That was Gogia’s last action of the half as he came off for Hartel, while Polter replaced Andersson about 10 minutes later. With a few uncompromising challenges around the midway point, the head was turned up a little. Dresden appeared to take more risks going forward and could have scored. Berko ran clear in the 76th minute and had two options ahead of him, but he picked Baris Atik who lost the ball under pressure from the recovering Union defence. Zulj replaced Kroos for the final eight minutes, but the Köpenick club couldn’t break down the home side and will take a point back to the capital.
1. FC Union Berlin return to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei on Friday April 12 when SSV Jahn Regensburg are the visitors in a crucial 2.Bundesliga clash. The game is sold out, but the secondary ticket market is open for supporters still interested in purchasing tickets. A number of VIP seats remain available.
