SV Werder passed up the chance for a fourth straight Bundesliga away win, instead having to settle for a draw with 1. FC Union Berlin in front of 22,012 fans at the Stadion an der Alten Försterei on matchday 32. Jens Stage netted the brace (2’, 15’) which saw the Green-Whites assume control before Tom Rothe (37’) and Laszlo Benes (84’) brought the Köpenick club back on level terms.
Line-up and formation: Oliver Burke was given the nod over Justin Njinmah as the sole change from the line-up that began the 0-0 draw with St. Pauli last time out. Marco Friedl and Felix Agu had taken a break from training at the start of the week but were back and available in time to make the team from the off.
Starting line-up: Zetterer - Stark, Pieper, Stage, Ducksch, Weiser, Lynen, Burke, Schmid, Agu, Friedl.
Subs: Backhaus - Jung, Silva, Bittencourt, Njinmah, Grüll, Malatini, Kaboré, Topp.
First-half highlights:
2nd minute: Werder make the perfect start! Weiser plays Burke down the right flank, from which position he picks out Ducksch with a cut back. The forward sweeps the ball onto the base of the post, but Stage is on hand to apply the emphatic finish from seven yards out.
15th minute: What a second goal from Stage! The midfielder surges towards the edge of the penalty area and lets fly, firing the ball into the far top corner via a slight deflection from Doekhi. That marks the Dane’s ninth league goal of the season, although he had not found the net since December’s reverse fixture ahead of kick-off.
28th minute: Agu releases Burke into space beyond the defensive line. The Scotsman utilises his pace to race away from Vogt but directs his strike only at Rönnow. Ducksch visibly shows his frustration at not being squared the ball by his fellow forward, since he was all alone in front of goal.
37th minute: Union grab a goal back from nowhere! Trimmel’s delivery finds the head of Rothe after he climbed higher than Weiser before placing his effort into the far side of the net.
Second-half highlights:
53rd minute: Great opportunity for the hosts as Haberer finds Hollerbach with a cross from the by-line. However, the attacker’s header from six yards is too central and unchallenging for Zetterer to gather.
69th minute: The major chance to equalise comes and goes for Union! Doekhi wins the ball off Schmid on the halfway line and springs the attack for the home side. Hollerbach then slipped the ball to Ilic, although he could not direct his shot inside the far post, narrowly missing from 11 yards.
84th minute: Substitute Benes makes an instant impact as he places his shot right into the corner following a set-piece.
90th minute +3: Full time! There is nothing to separate the sides when all is said and done in the German capital. SVW’s next task sees them host RB Leipzig in their final home game of the season this coming Saturday, 10.05.2025 (kick-off 15:30 CEST).
Summary: Werder make a lightning-fast start before Stage’s second goal sees the Green-Whites looking comfortable. However, Union have the better of the latter stages of the first half, halving the arrears with their first chance of note shortly before the break. In the game’s final period, the Berliners clinched a not undeserved leveller.
1. FC Union Berlin: Rönnow - Doekhi, Vogt (85’ Benes), Querfeld - Trimmel (72’ Preu), Khedira, Rothe - Schäfer (85’ Volland), Haberer (72’ Ljubicic) - Ilic (72’ Skarke), Hollerbach
SV Werder: Zetterer - Stark, Friedl, Pieper (88’ Topp) - Weiser, Lynen (88’ Njinmah), Agu (88’ Köhn) - Stage, Schmid (74’ Bittencourt) - Burke, Ducksch (74’ Grüll)
Goals: 0-1 Stage (2’), 0-2 Stage (15’), 1-2 Rothe (37’) , 2-2 Benes (84’)
Referee: Sören Storks
Spectators (Stadion An der Alten Försterei): 22,012 (sold out)
