Union Berlin has given SC Freiburg a severe blow in the fight for the premier class and once again secured the European Cup ticket. The mercilessly effective Köpenicker coach Urs Fischer won on the penultimate day of the Bundesliga 4-1 (3-0) at Sport-Club. Union will be on the European stage for the second time in a row next season.
Christian Streich waved it off, swore to himself and shook his head. The SC Freiburg coach was visibly served after what was perhaps a crucial setback in the fight for the Champions League. And while the sports club licked its wounds after the 1:4 (0:3) against Union Berlin, the guests celebrated their second international participation in a row in red European Cup shirts in front of their enthusiastic fans.
“Our defensive performance was the crux of the matter today. The goals we conceded were very bitter,” said sporting director Jochen Saier sky: “It was a deserved defeat.”
Freiburg are still in fourth place, but RB Leipzig can overtake FC Augsburg on Sunday (7.30 p.m.) by one point. “We want to score points on the last day of the game in Leverkusen. If we can do that, we’ve achieved a huge goal with the Europa League,” said Saier. Lucas Höler’s goal (59th, according to video evidence) was probably not enough for the premier class.
Grischa Prömel (11th), Christopher Trimmel (30th), Sheraldo Becker (41st) and Andras Schäfer (90th) scored for the mercilessly effective Köpenicker. This means that everything is still possible for coach Urs Fischer’s team, from the Champions League to the Europa League to the Conference League. “Incredible. What we are doing here as a small club cannot be taken for granted,” said Prömel. “It’s crazy,” said Fischer.
Grischa Prömel takes the lead for Union Berlin
Streich had dispensed with arithmetic games before the game. “I don’t want to be nervous, I want to be relaxed,” he said after the sports club had secured entry into the European Cup last week.
The people of Breisgau got off to a cautious start in the last home game of the season in front of 34,700 fans. It was clear from the start that there was a lot at stake in Streich’s team. Union made a better impression – and rewarded themselves early. Maximilian Eggestein cleared his own post, Prömel dusted off.
The Berliners, with Andreas Luthe in goal after Frederik Rönnow injured himself while warming up, then waited for a counterattack. During one of the quick counterattacks, Captain Trimmel was there. Previously, the supposed equalization by Höler (23rd) had been withdrawn after video evidence of a handball.
Christian Streich sees the yellow card
The Freiburg pressure fizzled out with the second goal. Instead, the defense around Nico Schlotterbeck, who had announced his move to Borussia Dortmund this week, was required. But Becker hung the SC defenders and finished dry. Streich was so raging on the sidelines that he saw a yellow card.
The SC coach reacted and brought Joker Nils Petersen into the second half. Freiburg came out of the dressing room with anger in their stomachs, resulting in an intense game with clear advantages for the home team.
With Höler’s goal, hope returned. Freiburg continued to try, but rarely found themselves dangerous in front of the Union goal. The guests, on the other hand, managed the lead and did not invest much in the offensive until the substitute Schäfer scored.
SC Freiburg – Union Berlin: The voices of the game
Christian Streich (Coach Freiburg): “Union was good straight away. They were brutally efficient, we defended poorly. It doesn’t work at that level, it’s unacceptable. I have to lift the boys up, I’m still upset. We were the worse team, Union absolutely did deservedly won. We have to have a serious word with each other – and then we’ll go to Leverkusen.”
Urs Fischer (Berlin coach): “It’s amazing. We’re sitting there qualifying for Europe for the second time, which I think is extraordinary. It was an incredibly strong first half. That was very convincing, we were very efficient.”
