0:4 at Bayer Leverkusen: Union Berlin loses its ninth Bundesliga game in a row and is bottom of the table

• Union in last place in the table for the first time since matchday 1 of the 2019/20 season
• Two goals conceded after (poorly defended) corners
• Defense boss Bonucci had to go out injured in the first half

The game started as expected with a lot of ball possession for Leverkusen and the Unioners pushed deep into their own half. What was not necessarily to be expected, however, was that Union initially hardly allowed anything. Apart from an unchallenged but equally inaccurate finish by Victor Boniface (11th minute) and a chance for Florian Wirtz (12th) – who, as a result of a bad pass from Frederik Rönnow, was just barely prevented from finishing on goal by the then attentive goalkeeper Unions – scoring opportunities were in short supply.

The Berliners defended attentively, Jérôme Roussillon in particular was very attentive against Leverkusen’s fast wing defender Jeremy Frimpong. When they had the ball, the Unioners certainly found playful solutions from their own third. From the halfway line onwards, however, there was a lack of ideas and advanced personnel. And in the 23rd minute it was more accurate, when Leverkusen’s left wing-back Alejandro Grimaldo scored a dream goal from the left edge of the penalty area to give the team a 1-0 lead, although this was aided by an unnecessary loss of the ball by Union’s Alex Kral while moving forward in his own penalty area.

Shortly afterwards things got even worse for Union when defense chief Leonardo Bonucci had to leave the field injured (24th). Robin Knoche came into play for him. Three minutes later, Leverkusen’s Frimpong was denied by Rönnow from a few meters and a tight angle. In the 44th minute, Wirtz forced Rönnow into a (mandatory) save after a nice solo and powerful shot from a central position.

At the start of the second half, Union pushed the ball much further forward, getting into dangerous spaces more often after winning the ball. However, there were no clear opportunities. In the 57th minute, the blow came from Berlin’s perspective: After a corner that shouldn’t have happened, Leverkusen’s central defender Odilon Kossounou headed in unhindered at the second post to make it 2-0. A minute later, Roussillon headed the already beaten Rönnow off the line to prevent Frimpong from conceding another possible goal.

Union’s resistance now seemed to be broken, Leverkusen seemingly dictated the game at will. The next goal came after a corner and was once again poorly defended from Berlin’s perspective. Rönnow and Jaeckel sailed past the ball in pairs, Jonathan Tah, positioned at the second post, thanked him and converted from the turn to make it 3-0. Ten minutes later it was a Union standard in the opposing penalty area that made it 0-4. After Leverkusen’s lightning counterattack, it was Nathan Tella, who had recently been substituted, who gave Rönnow no chance to defend from a good eight meters and ensured the final score.

Urs Fischer (Union Berlin): “I’m disappointed with the way it went. I think we didn’t do a bad job defensively in the first half. But when we conceded the goal, as in many other actions: unnecessary ball losses, too hectic, no continuation of the game. And then it will incredibly difficult against a strong team like Leverkusen. (…) We are in a relegation battle. (…) I think today we took two steps back again. (…) It’s a marathon until the end. (…) I remain combative.”

Christopher Trimmel (Union Berlin): “We couldn’t do more today. Leverkusen were simply a class too strong for us, in all respects. It’s bitter, of course, that you then concede two set-piece situations against such a playful team, because that’s the best way to defend something like that. (. ..) We had little access. (…) We finally have to start getting results. (…) I think it’s now well received in the team that we’re playing to stay in the league.”

Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen): “We are particularly pleased to have been successful today according to the standards.”

Broadcast: rbb24 Inforadio, November 12, 2023, 3:30 p.m