Union have endured a torrid run of late but showed no signs of defeatism in the early stages. Sheraldo Becker ran behind Gli Azzurri’s defence before seeing his shot saved, while Diogo Leite put his body on the line to block Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s venomous attempt at the other end.
Napoli still dominated possession and came agonisingly close to edging ahead in the 24th minute, as Natan met Piotr Zieliński’s cross with a strong header that left Frederik Ronnow rooted but eventually bounced back off the post.
Napoli carved Die Eisernen open on the half-hour mark for what would have been a beautiful goal, although Giovanni Di Lorenzo climbed on Jérôme Roussillon to head Mário Rui’s ball down for Zambo Anguissa and it was ruled out.
Napoli took the lead legitimately just nine minutes later, as Rui’s pass flicked up off Josip Juranovic and was diverted past Ronnow by Matteo Politano’s chest. There was more Union disappointment before the break, as Josip Juranovic’s free-kick crashed against the post from the last touch of the half.
Just six minutes into the second half, there was the type of jubilation that had long been vacant for a Union side that had conceded 14 times since their last goal.
A breakaway saw Becker hit a shot that was parried by Alex Meret, and David Datro Fofana reacted to turn home his first goal for the club. Despite Die Eisernen being visibly boosted, Politano soon threatened again with Paul Jaeckel taking a booking for cynically halting the winger’s mazy run having witnessed a number of his teammates being beaten.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Brenden Aaronson had a strike denied at each end in stoppage time, as Napoli went a fifth game unbeaten across all competitions but were forced to settle for a point. While Union’s point wasn’t enough to take them off the bottom of UCL Group C, it did bring an end to their club-record 12-game losing streak and was their first-ever point in Europe’s primary competition.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Paul Jaeckel (Union Berlin)
