Union Berlin secured a vital 2-1 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga on Sunday, thanks to Frederik Rönnow’s dramatic last-minute penalty save. The win allowed Union Berlin to maintain a comfortable buffer from the relegation zone, granting them a crucial six-point advantage with nine matches remaining.
The tense moments unfolded when Hugo Ekitiké stepped up for a penalty, awarded after a handball by Union’s Diogo Leite was confirmed via VAR in stoppage time. Rönnow’s save ensured that Union snapped a three-game losing streak.
Union’s captain, Christopher Trimmel, tempered post-match celebrations, emphasizing the need for consistent performances. “I’m happy but don’t want to get carried away. It was a good step, but there’s still some way to go,” he remarked.
The match saw action early on as Michy Batshuayi found the net for Frankfurt in the 13th minute. After an initial blocked shot, the ball fell to him perfectly, and he capitalized by shooting past the left post. This marked Batshuayi’s first goal for Frankfurt since joining the team in the winter transfer window.
Union Berlin made strategic changes during the match, with coach Steffen Baumgart introducing Benedict Hollerbach and Andras Schäfer in the second half to enhance their attack. Frankfurt’s coach, Dino Toppmöller, made adjustments of his own by introducing Mario Götze and Ekitiké.
Union leveled the score shortly after, with Leopold Querfeld netting from a Trimmel corner for his maiden goal for the club. The turn in momentum continued as substitute Jeong Woo-yeong scored the decisive goal in the 78th minute.
Drama ensued late in the game when Hollerbach’s potential third goal was disallowed following a VAR review for a handball by Schäfer. The late thriller concluded with Rönnow’s crucial penalty stop.
The defeat marked Frankfurt’s third consecutive loss in the Bundesliga, dropping them to fourth place in the standings. Previously, they faced heavy defeats against Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich.
In other Sunday action, Heidenheim rallied to draw 1-1 against Hoffenheim after trailing. On Saturday, Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen both faced setbacks in their respective matches, just days before their Champions League clash. Leverkusen is poised to give an update on Florian Wirtz’s injury after the young German star suffered a setback against Werder Bremen.
