Union Berlin started brightly in the game, however it was Dortmund that should have taken the lead when Emre Can placed a header over the bar when unmarked. Despite the gilt-edged opportunity, the visitors gifted Union the lead when Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel slipped while receiving a back-pass and the ball fell kindly to Janik Haberer to tap home inside eight minutes. It wasn’t long before Union doubled their lead when Haberer was on the scoresheet again driving home from just outside the penalty area for his third league goal of the season. It was a laboured first half for the visitors as they were completely outplayed, leaving manager Edin Terzić with an important HT team talk ahead.
Dortmund came from two goals down in Der Klassiker last weekend, but they were at home in front of their supporters. Terzić made a triple change bringing on influential midfielder Marco Reus despite not being fully fit, before Kobel pulled off a good save to stop Timo Baumgartl’s header, as Union looked to close the game and grab all three points early in the second half. For Dortmund to breakthrough they would have to beat the best defensive record in the league with Union only conceding six goals from their nine matches to date.
Jude Bellingham’s effort from distance with 15 minutes to go was a rare shot on target in the second half for Dortmund, yet the visitors best chance came when Reus beat the offside trap but not Frederik Rønnow who managed to block the midfielder’s chip. Rønnow was then forced into another save from a shot by Youssoufa Moukoko as Dortmund desperately searched for a way back into the game. In the end, it was a super win for the league leaders who managed to keep another clean sheet, their fourth in a row in all competitions. As for Dortmund, there is plenty of work to do if they want to be considered title contenders.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Janik Haberer (FC Union Berlin)
See stats from the match at Flashscore
