1. FC Union Berlin has reached a new level again. Three days before the visit to leaders FC Bayern Munich (Sunday, 5.30 p.m.), the Köpenicker defeated another representative of the European football nobility, the Dutch record champions Ajax Amsterdam, 3-1 and qualified for the 0-0 from the first leg for the Round of 16 of the Europa League.
Union is one of three German representatives in the draw on Friday: alongside SC Freiburg, who had already qualified for the round of 16 in the group stage, Bayer Leverkusen also made it into the round of 16. Coach Xabi Alonso’s team won 5-3 on penalties at AS Monaco on Thursday after beating 3-2 in the first leg. The German representatives cannot be drawn against each other.
The Unioners needed a good 2o minutes against Ajax to be in their element. Ajax captain Dusan Tadic had previously annoyed the Unioners: First because he won the seat selection and forced the Unioners to play towards the “Waldseite” in the first half, which they traditionally prefer to do in the second half. Above all, Tadic kept evading his guards after the kick-off and gave every ball he touched a special shine. His appearance was designed to trigger footballing inferiority complexes in the Union. But before it could get that far, the video referee came to their aid.
Goalkeeper Rulli lets the ball pass to make it 2-0
Because: The first noteworthy excursion into the opposing half had led to a corner kick, which Danilo Doekhi tried to head towards the opposing goal. Ajax defender Calvin Bassey stood in the trajectory. His video assistant discovered what the referee couldn’t see with the naked eye: Bassey had touched the ball with his outstretched arm. Shooter Robin Knoche was lucky with the penalty. Argentinian Ajax goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli guessed the corner and touched the ball. But it then flew off the inside of the post and into the net.
But Rulli’s annoyance became even greater. Because in the 44th minute he would have liked to bury himself in the penalty area because he was responsible for the second Union goal: Shortly after Ajax had combined dangerously in front of the Berlin goal a few times, right-back Josip Juranovic pulled with the left in one of the rare relief attacks from 20 meters. Just a shot. But Rulli let the ball roll under his right hand.
Doekhi scores the decisive 3:1
The composure with which the Union went into the half-time break because of the 2-0 lead gave way to embarrassment shortly after the restart. Steven Bergwijn was allowed to cross unhindered on the Dutch attacking left, and Mohammed Kudus extended the ball into the Union goal (47′). In terms of dramaturgy, the goal was exactly what the Berliners didn’t want to happen. But: just three minutes later, the germ of Amsterdam’s hope was sunk. After a corner by Juranovic, Danilho Doekhi of all people scored with a header to make it 3-1. Ironically, because years ago Doekhi himself wore the jersey of Jong Ajax, the youth team.
What followed was a self-sacrificing Köpenicker defensive performance in the style of the house. She forced Ajax to look for the crowbar in the toolbox. But: Through Sheraldo Becker, the Unioners were closer to the fourth goal in two counterattacks than the Dutch were to the second. But it stayed the same: the travel budget of Berliners will continue to be burdened.