Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Tuesday, 13 November 2012
Hertha BSC v 1. FC Union Berlin - 20:15 Monday 11th February 2013
Updated 23rd November 2012 at 5:30pm with KO date and time
Due to the amount of correspondence I receive about the Berlin derby I decided I'd try and cover some of the main points about tickets for this fixture in a blog piece.
Image courtesy of Offside.com
I want sit/stand in the away end
Unless you're a member or have a season ticket at Union this is going to be difficult. Even with a membership card you only have until Wednesday 14th November at 8pm to travel to the ticket office and you are only eligible for one ticket per person. If you are a member who lives outside Berlin you can e-mail the club. Membership is €80 per season. Details here. You get a free scarf and a few other bits and bobs - chiefly, priority for away games.
Some people on Union forums have decried the fact that the club have not moved with the times and used the internet. Perhaps I am bias but there was something about having the morning off work and standing in the cold for 4 hours. I'm not sure what that something is. The sense of achievement? If you have membership and authorise someone to use the membership card on your behalf then they can buy you a ticket. "Vollmacht" is the German word for this. There was quite a bit of this going on.
Edit: Union have sold their full allocation. Ausverkauft is the German word for this.
When is the fixture?
Sky TV have not chosen their matches for the second half of the season yet. A farcical situation of buying a ticket for a match that could be on one of 4 days across the 2nd weekend in February. Not much help for international fans flying to Berlin for the game I know - unless you fancy coming Friday until Tuesday of course.
Can you buy tickets in the Hertha end yet?
Yes you can. These have been on sale for a while now. The game sold out in 2011 so I see no reason why it won't sell out again. (Edit - less than 5,000 tickets left according to Hertha site)
The official site is here. Block K.1 or Blocks 12 - 14.2 would be a good shout if you're looking to be near the Union faithful. (Edit - no tickets now available near Union fans.)
Is it a poisonous atmosphere like at other derby matches?
Certainly not. A heavy police presence, an alcohol ban in the stadium and away fans herded into the ground like cattle - yes. Bad atmosphere - no. Such points are always subjective of course but I can only go on my own experience. I called Hertha a few days before the game, and was lucky enough to get a ticket for the 2011 derby, as some players had returned their allocation. I was in the expensive seats and a few Union fans jumped up when we scored. Some even wore colours. I would not recommend this but I hope you take my point. This is not Newcastle v Sunderland or Celtic v Rangers. I've not been to a Merseyside derby but it's probably closer to that end of the spectrum than the Manchester derby. As ever, take care.
Traveling with the Union fans to the game
I was fortunate to do this in 2011. The U2 line runs from Alexanderplatz to the Olympiastadion and the journey is very lively. Well worth doing.
Pre-match drinking
Keep an eye on the blog and I'll be covering where and when to have a pre and post-match drink.
Accommodation
Numerous friends have stayed here and been very impressed. A hotel style hostel. Read a few of the reviews.
Where can I party that weekend?
Check out this website from Mogli Oak. They have their finger on the pulse of what is happening each weekend.
I love Berlin and want to move to Berlin!
Do it. For more about Berlin life check out Überlin website, Slow Travel Berlin website and this guide to moving to Berlin which is also hosted by the team behind Überlin. You can ask them anything!
UNVEU
Picture courtesy of Groundhopping etc
Videos from the famous 1-2 win in 2011
Videos courtesy of Groundhopping etc
Due to the amount of correspondence I receive about the Berlin derby I decided I'd try and cover some of the main points about tickets for this fixture in a blog piece.
Image courtesy of Offside.com
I want sit/stand in the away end
Unless you're a member or have a season ticket at Union this is going to be difficult. Even with a membership card you only have until Wednesday 14th November at 8pm to travel to the ticket office and you are only eligible for one ticket per person. If you are a member who lives outside Berlin you can e-mail the club. Membership is €80 per season. Details here. You get a free scarf and a few other bits and bobs - chiefly, priority for away games.
Some people on Union forums have decried the fact that the club have not moved with the times and used the internet. Perhaps I am bias but there was something about having the morning off work and standing in the cold for 4 hours. I'm not sure what that something is. The sense of achievement? If you have membership and authorise someone to use the membership card on your behalf then they can buy you a ticket. "Vollmacht" is the German word for this. There was quite a bit of this going on.
Edit: Union have sold their full allocation. Ausverkauft is the German word for this.
When is the fixture?
Sky TV have not chosen their matches for the second half of the season yet. A farcical situation of buying a ticket for a match that could be on one of 4 days across the 2nd weekend in February. Not much help for international fans flying to Berlin for the game I know - unless you fancy coming Friday until Tuesday of course.
Can you buy tickets in the Hertha end yet?
Yes you can. These have been on sale for a while now. The game sold out in 2011 so I see no reason why it won't sell out again. (Edit - less than 5,000 tickets left according to Hertha site)
The official site is here. Block K.1 or Blocks 12 - 14.2 would be a good shout if you're looking to be near the Union faithful. (Edit - no tickets now available near Union fans.)
Is it a poisonous atmosphere like at other derby matches?
Certainly not. A heavy police presence, an alcohol ban in the stadium and away fans herded into the ground like cattle - yes. Bad atmosphere - no. Such points are always subjective of course but I can only go on my own experience. I called Hertha a few days before the game, and was lucky enough to get a ticket for the 2011 derby, as some players had returned their allocation. I was in the expensive seats and a few Union fans jumped up when we scored. Some even wore colours. I would not recommend this but I hope you take my point. This is not Newcastle v Sunderland or Celtic v Rangers. I've not been to a Merseyside derby but it's probably closer to that end of the spectrum than the Manchester derby. As ever, take care.
Traveling with the Union fans to the game
I was fortunate to do this in 2011. The U2 line runs from Alexanderplatz to the Olympiastadion and the journey is very lively. Well worth doing.
Pre-match drinking
Keep an eye on the blog and I'll be covering where and when to have a pre and post-match drink.
Accommodation
Numerous friends have stayed here and been very impressed. A hotel style hostel. Read a few of the reviews.
Where can I party that weekend?
Check out this website from Mogli Oak. They have their finger on the pulse of what is happening each weekend.
I love Berlin and want to move to Berlin!
Do it. For more about Berlin life check out Überlin website, Slow Travel Berlin website and this guide to moving to Berlin which is also hosted by the team behind Überlin. You can ask them anything!
UNVEU
Picture courtesy of Groundhopping etc
Videos from the famous 1-2 win in 2011
Videos courtesy of Groundhopping etc
Monday, 5 November 2012
FC United of Manchester feature FC Union Berlin in matchday programme
Guest post from FC United of Manchester co-owner
I'm delighted to share a guest post that featured in the FC United of Manchester programme yesterday. Peter Thwaites came to Berlin and writes a superb piece on why FC Union are such a pull for English fans who rally against modern football.
About FC United of Manchester
In 2005 FC United of Manchester were formed by a group of Manchester Unites supporters. The catalyst was the Glazer family takeover. They were set up as a community club and are the antithesis to the current Manchester United business model. As the club website states, "The material theft of a Manchester institution, forcibly taken from the people of Manchester, was the tip of a pyramid of destruction, with changing kick off times for the benefit of television, soulless all-seater stadia full of 'new' supporters intent to sit back and watch rather than partake in the occasion, heavy handed stewarding and ridiculously priced tickets propping it all up. By May 2005 some supporters had had enough." You can read more about FC United of Manchester here.
Eisern Union by Peter Thwaites
Berlin has many attractions as a city - museums, nightlife, architecture, eating and drinking not to mention the immense history that hangs over it. But wherever you go in the world there is always football to experience.
Most visiting football fans, I suspect, would gravitate towards Hertha Berlin. Indeed it is worth a visit if only to see the “ground” - the iconic Olympiastadion, originally built in neoclassical style for the 1936 Berlin Olympics and, despite being refurbished in 1993, retaining much of the original architecture and stonework.
But Hertha are not the only show in town or even, in fact, the best. One Friday evening I decided to head out on the S-Bahn to Köpenick, a historic town incorporated into Berlin in 1920 and home to 1. FC Union Berlin. Whilst Berlin is viewed historically as the seat of Nazi power, it was in fact originally a Communist stronghold, particularly among the working class of Berlin. No more so than Köpenick where, on the day Hitler came to power on 30 January 1933, a red flag flew from the chimney of a brewery. The subsequent reprisal from the Nazis followed in June during the “Köpenicker Blutwoche” (week of blood) when 500 people were imprisoned and 91 murdered.
FC Union Berlin (pronounced Un-Yun) were originally a works team, metalworkers, hence the nickname "Eisern Union" (Iron Union). They play at level 2 Bundesliga and their ground is the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. No matter what name we eventually decide on for our ground in Moston, I can guarantee we will not get anything nearly as evocative as the “Stadium near the old Forester's house”! They are a fans-owned club, with a very similar ethos and outlook to FC United, particularly in their opposition to the commercialisation of football.
Köpenick turns out to enjoy a picturesque setting, indeed by a forest and on the banks of the Spree. (I later discover that you can take a boat trip out here from Treptower Park. While you’re at it, visit the fantastic Soviet War Memorial at Treptower, then enjoy a drink on the boat cruise to Köpenick before going on to an Union game – perfect day!)
I walk from the Aldstadt (old town) out to the ground. The first thing I notice is that, despite the capacity being only 17,000 or so, there seems to be a disproportionately high police presence. Union are playing Eintracht Braunschweig but I don’t know whether this is normal or whether the clubs have “previous”. There are some Eintracht fans congregating with cans bought from the garage next to the ground but they don’t seem in any way threatening. I wander around and walk into what I think is the ticket office but is actually the main reception where a nice lady directs me to the next door along.
Despite my “BBC Steps” attempt at the language the guy in the ticket office immediately spots that I’m not German, “Dutch…? Oh, English… great to have English people here!” He advises me that Block P in the main stand would be a good place to stand and sells me a ticket for €11. I didn’t know this at the time but the ground I’m about to go into was refurbished in 2009 and rebuilt by the fans. I don’t mean just through financial contributions – they actually built it! 75,000 man hours, up to 1600 different volunteers supervised by 6 professional builders and saving the club €2.5M! As I come to realise, there are fans clubs in Germany but Union really are a fans club.
So it’s a warm spring Friday evening by the forest, food stalls, drink stalls, plenty of red and white in evidence. The ground inside is very like an old English Division 3 ground but none the worse for that. It’s mainly standing with the long main stand and the area behind one of the goals being the more populated areas. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere, much more down to earth than the grandeur of the Olympiastadion. Supporters stand on the terraces enjoying a beer or a fag (the attitude to smoking in Berlin is so relaxed, it’s almost compulsory). I haven’t really read up on the club at this point so I’m unprepared for what happens next.
As the teams come out, something is starting to happen over the loudspeakers and music starts to swell. Behind the goal, a huge transparent flag begins to rise, outlined with black and white images of what I presume are famous players. Then the “Union Hymn” begins. This is “Eisern Union” sung by the East German punk singer, Nina Hagen (not to be confused with Nena who sang “99 Red Balloons”). It’s a surreal mixture of hymn, anthem and heavy rock but an impressive spectacle as the whole crowd joins in.
Some other interesting banners on display; “weil das Herz weiß, was du tun musst” = “Because the heart knows you have to do” and “unsere Liebe, unsere Mannschaft, unser Stolz, unser Verein” = “our love, our team, our pride, our club”.
In the meantime, the Eintracht fans, who are penned into what is appropriately Block Z, set off around a dozen flares simultaneously to welcome their team onto the pitch. They’re completely obscured by smoke for about 5 minutes and any asthma sufferers should look away now.
The atmosphere throughout the match is very similar to what we experience at FC. The actual game itself can hardly live up to that spectacle but is enjoyable nonetheless as Union run out 1-0 winners with mazy dribbling midfielder, Chinedu Ede, catching the eye. I hope to be able to come back for their final home game (v Hansa Rostock) but unfortunately it is restricted to “members only” and is a sell-out, not to mention a 5-4 victory for Union.
There doesn’t appear to be any serious rivalry between Hertha and Union. During the time of the Berlin Wall, Hertha were in the West and Union were in the East. In the East but not of the East. When the Wall came down, one of the first things they did was to play a friendly against each other. In fact the first competitive game between the two didn’t occur until 2011 when Hertha found themselves in 2 Bundesliga, an event which is now repeated this season.
The same cannot be said of Dynamo Berlin however. If Köpenick stuck two fingers up at the Nazis, they were equally at odds with the old East German, GDR regime. FC Union’s bitter rivals were the state sponsored Dynamo Berlin who won 10 consecutive league titles between 1979-1988 due to state sponsored favouritism that extended to fixed transfers and crooked referees. However, once the Wall came down, the patronage that Dynamo had enjoyed from Erich Mielke, head of East Germany's Stasi (the secret police), could no longer help them.
If you find yourself at a football ground in Berlin, you may be taken in by the architecture and the scale and the history of the Olympiastadion but you will surely find your spiritual home closer to the house of the old forester. Eisern Union!
The matchday programme that the article featured in is handed over to the Eiserne Botschafter modern museum
English speaking FC Union Berlin fan club
We're in the process of setting up an English speaking, FC Union Berlin fan club. We're hoping to get expressions of interest throughout 2012/13 season and become an official fan club in time for the 2013/14 season. E-mail unioninenglisch@gmail.com and follow our new Twitter account @unioninenglisch for more details.
I'm delighted to share a guest post that featured in the FC United of Manchester programme yesterday. Peter Thwaites came to Berlin and writes a superb piece on why FC Union are such a pull for English fans who rally against modern football.
About FC United of Manchester
In 2005 FC United of Manchester were formed by a group of Manchester Unites supporters. The catalyst was the Glazer family takeover. They were set up as a community club and are the antithesis to the current Manchester United business model. As the club website states, "The material theft of a Manchester institution, forcibly taken from the people of Manchester, was the tip of a pyramid of destruction, with changing kick off times for the benefit of television, soulless all-seater stadia full of 'new' supporters intent to sit back and watch rather than partake in the occasion, heavy handed stewarding and ridiculously priced tickets propping it all up. By May 2005 some supporters had had enough." You can read more about FC United of Manchester here.
Eisern Union by Peter Thwaites
Berlin has many attractions as a city - museums, nightlife, architecture, eating and drinking not to mention the immense history that hangs over it. But wherever you go in the world there is always football to experience.
Most visiting football fans, I suspect, would gravitate towards Hertha Berlin. Indeed it is worth a visit if only to see the “ground” - the iconic Olympiastadion, originally built in neoclassical style for the 1936 Berlin Olympics and, despite being refurbished in 1993, retaining much of the original architecture and stonework.
But Hertha are not the only show in town or even, in fact, the best. One Friday evening I decided to head out on the S-Bahn to Köpenick, a historic town incorporated into Berlin in 1920 and home to 1. FC Union Berlin. Whilst Berlin is viewed historically as the seat of Nazi power, it was in fact originally a Communist stronghold, particularly among the working class of Berlin. No more so than Köpenick where, on the day Hitler came to power on 30 January 1933, a red flag flew from the chimney of a brewery. The subsequent reprisal from the Nazis followed in June during the “Köpenicker Blutwoche” (week of blood) when 500 people were imprisoned and 91 murdered.
FC Union Berlin (pronounced Un-Yun) were originally a works team, metalworkers, hence the nickname "Eisern Union" (Iron Union). They play at level 2 Bundesliga and their ground is the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. No matter what name we eventually decide on for our ground in Moston, I can guarantee we will not get anything nearly as evocative as the “Stadium near the old Forester's house”! They are a fans-owned club, with a very similar ethos and outlook to FC United, particularly in their opposition to the commercialisation of football.
Köpenick turns out to enjoy a picturesque setting, indeed by a forest and on the banks of the Spree. (I later discover that you can take a boat trip out here from Treptower Park. While you’re at it, visit the fantastic Soviet War Memorial at Treptower, then enjoy a drink on the boat cruise to Köpenick before going on to an Union game – perfect day!)
I walk from the Aldstadt (old town) out to the ground. The first thing I notice is that, despite the capacity being only 17,000 or so, there seems to be a disproportionately high police presence. Union are playing Eintracht Braunschweig but I don’t know whether this is normal or whether the clubs have “previous”. There are some Eintracht fans congregating with cans bought from the garage next to the ground but they don’t seem in any way threatening. I wander around and walk into what I think is the ticket office but is actually the main reception where a nice lady directs me to the next door along.
Despite my “BBC Steps” attempt at the language the guy in the ticket office immediately spots that I’m not German, “Dutch…? Oh, English… great to have English people here!” He advises me that Block P in the main stand would be a good place to stand and sells me a ticket for €11. I didn’t know this at the time but the ground I’m about to go into was refurbished in 2009 and rebuilt by the fans. I don’t mean just through financial contributions – they actually built it! 75,000 man hours, up to 1600 different volunteers supervised by 6 professional builders and saving the club €2.5M! As I come to realise, there are fans clubs in Germany but Union really are a fans club.
So it’s a warm spring Friday evening by the forest, food stalls, drink stalls, plenty of red and white in evidence. The ground inside is very like an old English Division 3 ground but none the worse for that. It’s mainly standing with the long main stand and the area behind one of the goals being the more populated areas. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere, much more down to earth than the grandeur of the Olympiastadion. Supporters stand on the terraces enjoying a beer or a fag (the attitude to smoking in Berlin is so relaxed, it’s almost compulsory). I haven’t really read up on the club at this point so I’m unprepared for what happens next.
As the teams come out, something is starting to happen over the loudspeakers and music starts to swell. Behind the goal, a huge transparent flag begins to rise, outlined with black and white images of what I presume are famous players. Then the “Union Hymn” begins. This is “Eisern Union” sung by the East German punk singer, Nina Hagen (not to be confused with Nena who sang “99 Red Balloons”). It’s a surreal mixture of hymn, anthem and heavy rock but an impressive spectacle as the whole crowd joins in.
Some other interesting banners on display; “weil das Herz weiß, was du tun musst” = “Because the heart knows you have to do” and “unsere Liebe, unsere Mannschaft, unser Stolz, unser Verein” = “our love, our team, our pride, our club”.
In the meantime, the Eintracht fans, who are penned into what is appropriately Block Z, set off around a dozen flares simultaneously to welcome their team onto the pitch. They’re completely obscured by smoke for about 5 minutes and any asthma sufferers should look away now.
The atmosphere throughout the match is very similar to what we experience at FC. The actual game itself can hardly live up to that spectacle but is enjoyable nonetheless as Union run out 1-0 winners with mazy dribbling midfielder, Chinedu Ede, catching the eye. I hope to be able to come back for their final home game (v Hansa Rostock) but unfortunately it is restricted to “members only” and is a sell-out, not to mention a 5-4 victory for Union.
There doesn’t appear to be any serious rivalry between Hertha and Union. During the time of the Berlin Wall, Hertha were in the West and Union were in the East. In the East but not of the East. When the Wall came down, one of the first things they did was to play a friendly against each other. In fact the first competitive game between the two didn’t occur until 2011 when Hertha found themselves in 2 Bundesliga, an event which is now repeated this season.
The same cannot be said of Dynamo Berlin however. If Köpenick stuck two fingers up at the Nazis, they were equally at odds with the old East German, GDR regime. FC Union’s bitter rivals were the state sponsored Dynamo Berlin who won 10 consecutive league titles between 1979-1988 due to state sponsored favouritism that extended to fixed transfers and crooked referees. However, once the Wall came down, the patronage that Dynamo had enjoyed from Erich Mielke, head of East Germany's Stasi (the secret police), could no longer help them.
If you find yourself at a football ground in Berlin, you may be taken in by the architecture and the scale and the history of the Olympiastadion but you will surely find your spiritual home closer to the house of the old forester. Eisern Union!
The matchday programme that the article featured in is handed over to the Eiserne Botschafter modern museum
English speaking FC Union Berlin fan club
We're in the process of setting up an English speaking, FC Union Berlin fan club. We're hoping to get expressions of interest throughout 2012/13 season and become an official fan club in time for the 2013/14 season. E-mail unioninenglisch@gmail.com and follow our new Twitter account @unioninenglisch for more details.
Monday, 29 October 2012
Union win fans but not points against Paderborn
I met with a superb crowd before the Union v Paderborn game. There were 9 of us in total. One of the gang was Lewis, a student at the local Uni, in Berlin for 1 semester. Being a man of vast intelligence, after only a short time in the capital he tried to extend his stay by another semester. Sadly, it was not to be but he'll be in Berlin until early next year. He's seen Hertha play. Now it was Union. Read his take on Union below.
The Union atmosphere was like one I've never experienced before. Being a massive Aberdeen fan, it takes heart to admit that the home games I'm used to are pretty dull with a sporadic crowd in low voice.
At the Stadion An der Alten Försterei, it was the complete opposite. I've attended the Olympiastadion twice this season, and despite the Ostkurve 'ultras' being extremely vocal and inspiring, the fact the rest of the stadium was half empty put a slight dampener on the whole 'football experience'.
The Alte Försterei was full to the rafters, each and every fan in unison and full voice. It's just a pity the result on the pitch wasn't quite as satisfying... Despite Paderborn having their fair share of chances, Union did too and wasted them all - striker Adam Nemec was ironically cheered off by the home faithful after being substituted in the 2nd half.
The winner seemed a complete freak goal - the players and fans were as surprised as each other as the ball somehow looped over the keeper and into the net. If there is one thing Union can look at Hertha and be jealous of though, then it's a striker like Ramos who can score a goal or two.
Even so, this and the disappointing result aside, I've definitely been converted to the East side. A full terracing capacity of passionate fans in red and white, chanting their team on in between gulping down a pint of fine German beer, it genuinely is as good as it gets... If only it existed in the north-east of Scotland.
Thanks to Lewis & Felix at Groundhopping etc for the photographs.
The Union atmosphere was like one I've never experienced before. Being a massive Aberdeen fan, it takes heart to admit that the home games I'm used to are pretty dull with a sporadic crowd in low voice.
At the Stadion An der Alten Försterei, it was the complete opposite. I've attended the Olympiastadion twice this season, and despite the Ostkurve 'ultras' being extremely vocal and inspiring, the fact the rest of the stadium was half empty put a slight dampener on the whole 'football experience'.
The Alte Försterei was full to the rafters, each and every fan in unison and full voice. It's just a pity the result on the pitch wasn't quite as satisfying... Despite Paderborn having their fair share of chances, Union did too and wasted them all - striker Adam Nemec was ironically cheered off by the home faithful after being substituted in the 2nd half.
The winner seemed a complete freak goal - the players and fans were as surprised as each other as the ball somehow looped over the keeper and into the net. If there is one thing Union can look at Hertha and be jealous of though, then it's a striker like Ramos who can score a goal or two.
Even so, this and the disappointing result aside, I've definitely been converted to the East side. A full terracing capacity of passionate fans in red and white, chanting their team on in between gulping down a pint of fine German beer, it genuinely is as good as it gets... If only it existed in the north-east of Scotland.
Thanks to Lewis & Felix at Groundhopping etc for the photographs.
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Union Berlin huff and puff against 10 man Frankfurt
Due to making sure 15 Irish lads got in the ground OK, I took a week off blogging duties and @robinberlin kindly wrote the blog this week. As usual, he's bang on the money.
After an early season wobble Union are now looking resembling a solid resolute outfit. However, their inability to create and take chances in front of goal remains a cause for concern.
In the balmy late October sunshine, Union were lead out by the “King of St Pauli”, Thorsten Mattuschka, whose exploits in their last fixture had rescued a point away in Hamburg.
The new stand is taking shape and building work is ahead of schedule.
The fact that FSV Frankfurt were on the wrong end of a 4-0 shellacking last year was cause for optimism amongst Union fans who were keen to secure a third home win on the bounce.
After an fairly unremarkable opening ten minutes, the game turned on a decision from the referee to award a twelfth minute penalty to Union following a deliberate handball by Frankfurt defender Marc Heitmeier . For this offence he received his second yellow card and FSV were down to ten men.
Mattuschka never looked like missing and he slotted the ball home to score his third goal in two games. Happy days – the sun was out, Union had the extra man and this correspondent was looking forward to an afternoon goal fest.
Mattuschka sends the keeper the wrong way
Nothing quite rolls of the tongue like a classic footballing cliché. Italian defences are always “well very organised”, Brazil always play “samba football” and it is always, always harder to play against ten men.
This is a view I’ve never subscribed to. How can it be harder to play against a team having to compensate for having one fewer man? However, having seen Union struggle for the remaining 80 minutes against 10 men, I’ve decided that for the time being at least, all football clichés much be true.
At times it was impossible to determine which team had the extra man. Frankfurt stubbornly defended the fleeting Union attacks and then looked the more threatening going forward.
Long balls at the heart of the Union defence caused panic and resulted in yellow cards for both Union centre backs Christian Stuff (the poor man’s Per Mertesacker) and Roberto Puncec.
Before the half was out Björn Jopek was taken off. It was an afternoon of mixed emotion for Jopek. The crowd had loudly cheered the news of his contract extension, but in truth he had a bit of a shocker and was “hooked” before the half was out. I can only imagine the signing on fee must have gone to his head.
The second half plodded along and for the most part, Union were uninspired and sloppy. It felt like the international break and the early goal had taken all the sharpness and urgency out of their play.
Protest banner pointing out that Rauball (league President) has a few stains on his CV. The second anti-DFB/DFL banner to be unfurled during the game
Simple passes were being misplaced and FSV still appeared to be the most likely team to score. One ray of quality in an afternoon of mediocrity was shown by Stuff who drilled a swerving 25 yard shot onto the bar.
The game was characterised by one of its last acts. After a swift counter following an FSV attack, Union created a clear chance. Mattuschka was one on one with the keeper. Having dragged the ball on to his less favoured left foot, he shot over from 12 yards out.
Union blaze wide - again.
And that was pretty much that . 2-0 would have flattered Union, and 1-0 was probably unfair to FSV who least laid to rest the ghosts of last year’s drubbing.
Union will have to play better this weekend if they want to beat and leapfrog Paderborn.
Maybe Union should just start with 10 men…
Big thank you to Groundhoppping etc. for the photographs. Do check out the facebook page and click like. Superb Berlin photography of the beautiful game.
After an early season wobble Union are now looking resembling a solid resolute outfit. However, their inability to create and take chances in front of goal remains a cause for concern.
In the balmy late October sunshine, Union were lead out by the “King of St Pauli”, Thorsten Mattuschka, whose exploits in their last fixture had rescued a point away in Hamburg.
The new stand is taking shape and building work is ahead of schedule.
The fact that FSV Frankfurt were on the wrong end of a 4-0 shellacking last year was cause for optimism amongst Union fans who were keen to secure a third home win on the bounce.
After an fairly unremarkable opening ten minutes, the game turned on a decision from the referee to award a twelfth minute penalty to Union following a deliberate handball by Frankfurt defender Marc Heitmeier . For this offence he received his second yellow card and FSV were down to ten men.
Mattuschka never looked like missing and he slotted the ball home to score his third goal in two games. Happy days – the sun was out, Union had the extra man and this correspondent was looking forward to an afternoon goal fest.
Mattuschka sends the keeper the wrong way
Nothing quite rolls of the tongue like a classic footballing cliché. Italian defences are always “well very organised”, Brazil always play “samba football” and it is always, always harder to play against ten men.
This is a view I’ve never subscribed to. How can it be harder to play against a team having to compensate for having one fewer man? However, having seen Union struggle for the remaining 80 minutes against 10 men, I’ve decided that for the time being at least, all football clichés much be true.
At times it was impossible to determine which team had the extra man. Frankfurt stubbornly defended the fleeting Union attacks and then looked the more threatening going forward.
Long balls at the heart of the Union defence caused panic and resulted in yellow cards for both Union centre backs Christian Stuff (the poor man’s Per Mertesacker) and Roberto Puncec.
Before the half was out Björn Jopek was taken off. It was an afternoon of mixed emotion for Jopek. The crowd had loudly cheered the news of his contract extension, but in truth he had a bit of a shocker and was “hooked” before the half was out. I can only imagine the signing on fee must have gone to his head.
The second half plodded along and for the most part, Union were uninspired and sloppy. It felt like the international break and the early goal had taken all the sharpness and urgency out of their play.
Protest banner pointing out that Rauball (league President) has a few stains on his CV. The second anti-DFB/DFL banner to be unfurled during the game
Simple passes were being misplaced and FSV still appeared to be the most likely team to score. One ray of quality in an afternoon of mediocrity was shown by Stuff who drilled a swerving 25 yard shot onto the bar.
The game was characterised by one of its last acts. After a swift counter following an FSV attack, Union created a clear chance. Mattuschka was one on one with the keeper. Having dragged the ball on to his less favoured left foot, he shot over from 12 yards out.
Union blaze wide - again.
And that was pretty much that . 2-0 would have flattered Union, and 1-0 was probably unfair to FSV who least laid to rest the ghosts of last year’s drubbing.
Union will have to play better this weekend if they want to beat and leapfrog Paderborn.
Maybe Union should just start with 10 men…
Big thank you to Groundhoppping etc. for the photographs. Do check out the facebook page and click like. Superb Berlin photography of the beautiful game.
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