Union Berlin thrash Greuther Fürth 4-0
Back to winning ways:
Joshua Mees and Sebastian Polter both grabbed doubles as 1. FC Union Berlin ran out 4-0 winners against SpVgg Greuther Fürth at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
The 22-year-old winger has started the last three games for Urs Fischer’s team and he popped up with his first two goals for Union Berlin inside 10 minutes.
Sebastian Polter prodded home both goals from close range to record his third and fourth league strikes of the 18/19 campaign.
1. FC Union Berlin: Gikiewicz; Trimmel, Friedrich, Hübner, Reichel; Schmiedebach, Zulj, Hartel; Mees (Hedlund 67), Polter (Andersson 75), Abdullahi (Redondo 57)
SpVgg Greuther Fürth: Burchert; Wittek (Raum 5), Magyar (Bauer 59), Maloca, Sauer; Gugganig, Mohr, Ernst; Green (Abouchabaka 59), Atanga, Keita-Ruel
Attendance: 21,785
With three changes to the side from last weekend’s fourth consecutive draw in the 2.Bundesliga, Union Berlin carried a clear offensive intention — Christopher Trimmel, Marcel Hartel and Suleiman Abdullahi were all given a starting place. Greuther Fürth left-back Maximilian Wittek suffered a nasty head knock in the second minute and was replaced by David Raum. After a short stoppage in play, Union stormed into action, with Marcel Hartel picking out Mees who cushioned past Sascha Burchert. Five minutes later, Mees latched on to Trimmel’s cross from the right and finished off expertly with a diving header. Although Union had the better of the goals, Damir Buric’s men threatened at times on their own. Ken Reichel stopped Julian Green from pulling the trigger before Rafal Gikiewicz made a fantastic, reflex save to keep out Sebastian Ernst’s header. The Köpenick club added a third on 29 minutes with Polter diverting Mees’ long-range drive away from the goalkeeper. Robert Zulj saw an effort ruled out for offside on 44 minutes after Burchert parried a good effort from Abdullahi.
1. FC Union Berlin continued their dominance into the second half, shooting towards the Waldseite, which came to life after the break. Burchert kept out an effort from Marvin Friedrich in the 54th minute before Polter would notch his second of the afternoon a minute later. The Union striker was given the easy task of slotting into an empty net, but credit must go to Abdullahi whose persistence and determination forced the important mistake in Greuther Fürth’s rearguard. Kenny Prince Redondo, Simon Hedlund and Sebastian Andersson freshened up the Union side going into the final half an hour with the match essentially over as a contest.
The three points help prolong Union Berlin's unbeaten record in the 2.Bundesliga — now a club record 15 matches.
