There wasn’t much shade at the An der Alten Försterei stadium on Sunday. But one that was particularly long: the shadow of the past. Before the opening game of the new season against FSV Mainz 05, the Swiss Urs Fischer was interviewed by the specialist magazine table football Awarded Coach of the Year. And then there was a choreo that the fans chanted on the forest side of the stadium: “Our key to success: never forgetting where we come from.” Well, it will be necessary to keep this memory alive. Because this 1. FC Union has made another leap in quality in the fifth year of belonging to the Bundesliga. Union defeated FSV Mainz 05 4-1 (2-0) – because Kevin Behrens scored three headers, Milos Pantovic set the final point in stoppage time and goalkeeper Fredrik Rönnow saved two penalties from Mainz striker Ludovic Ajorque.
Where does Union come from? What needs to be remembered? To a team that was scolded across the country for only relying on long balls and physique, and in doing so did a good job of disguising the fact that they were following an idea. This basic idea has remained the same: organization, solidarity, solidity. Now, buoyed by the revenue gains from Champions League qualification, she has upped her individual quality. Union sets new tones.
This was seen for the first time when less than 54 seconds had been played: Brenden Aaronson kick, Jérôme Rousillon cross, Kevin Behrens header to the back post: goal. A good eight minutes later, they stringed together what felt like 20 passes before Behrens headed in again, this time following a cross from Aïssa Laïdouni. 2-0 On the bench, the reservists clapped enthusiastically. Among them the spectacular additions of Robin Gosens (Inter Milan) and Kevin Volland (AS Monaco). Because the list showed respect for the past, meritocratic principles and hierarchies.
Ajorque also misses the second penalty
In the starting formation at Union there were only players who had fully participated in the pre-season. Gosens and Volland have only trained a few times – they only came in the second half. What have you seen so far? A free kick that David Datro Fofana, on loan from Chelsea, put on the crossbar, so excitingly fine-footed and yet sinewy – as well as a wonderful hand with which Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner prevented a shot from Diogo Leite from hitting the corner. Mainz? Was in the narrower sense without a chance of a goal.
That changed in the 63rd minute when Leite caught Mainz’s Brajan Gruda on the foot in the penalty area – and Ludovic Ajorque took the penalty. Union goalkeeper Fredrik Rönnow held. Shortly thereafter, Anthony Caci scored for Mainz: with a volley worth seeing.
Union coach Fischer reacted: He brought in Sheraldo Becker for Fofana and helped Robin Gosens, who had previously only worked abroad, to make his Bundesliga debut (66th). It was Becker who did the preparatory work for Behrens’ third header – with a precise cross from the right into the six-yard box. This was another goal that was in no way inferior to the artful header goals of the DFB striker Alexandra Popp. And: Behrens is the first player since precise data collection (1998/99) to score three header goals in one game.
There was still a brief moment of doubt: When the giant Ajorque headed in the Union penalty area and hit the crossbar – and when Ajorque got a second chance to take a penalty and failed again at Rönnow (89th). Coach Fischer showed the audience access Volland and home-grown Aljoscha Kemlein, then Pantovic, who was also a substitute, scored. However, the basic knowledge of Sunday remained unaffected: Union has taken a new development step.