For a long time it looked as if 1. FC Union Berlin’s 100th goal in the Bundesliga would only be scored after the international break. The efficiency that coach Urs Fischer had demanded of his team in the run-up to the game at FSV Mainz 05 could not be seen for almost 70 minutes. But then Taiwo Awoniyi finally hit the ball the way he wanted to hit it – and with his goal wrote himself in the history books of the Köpenick Bundesliga club. A short time later he also scored Union’s 101st Bundesliga goal.
With two goals against his former club Mainz 05, Awoniyi not only crowned a great fight in the second half after a hard-fought game, he also gave the Berliners their first away win of the season.
After giving several players a break in the Conference League win against Maccabi Haifa, coach Fischer switched back to six positions in Mainz. Goalkeeper Andreas Luthe moved back to his usual place, as did the storm duo Max Kruse and Awoniyi. Grischa Prömel and Julian Ryerson replaced Kevin Möhwald and Christopher Trimmel. In addition, Paul Jaeckel, who had been banned from Haifa, returned to the defensive chain.
So both teams played with a three-man chain, and the game was correspondingly tough at the beginning. The only real excitement of the first 20 minutes came when the Mainz defender Jeremiah St. Juste had to leave the field with a probably broken arm. A few minutes later, the guests from Berlin got their first big chance. On the left side, Kruse got rid of the guard by the Mainz defense and crossed to Awoniyi, who did not hit the ball a few meters in front of the goal.
Union found a better place in the game after the break
On the other hand, the Mainz team was similarly wasteful. After a delicate cross from the former Unioner Marcus Ingvartsen, Anderson-Lenda Lucoqui shot clear from close range.
Ingvartsen, on loan from Union, should still be able to cheer against his former teammates, because shortly before half-time he took the lead in Mainz. After a loss of the ball in midfield by Genki Haraguchi, the hosts switched over at lightning speed. Karim Onisiwo shot into the penalty area and crossed to the free-standing Dane, who stroked the ball into the lower corner.
Union found their way back into the game after the break, and both Ryerson and Kruse came to a close quickly. After just under an hour, Awoniyi lost another big chance. With a great combination, he and Kruse first took the Mainz defense apart, but the Nigerian’s strong finish hissed just past the post.
Just 20 minutes before the end, things finally went as planned – and like so often this season. After a great through pass from Max Kruse, Taiwo Awoniyi not only held the ball well, he also kept a cool head in front of the goal. A few minutes later, after another quick counterattack, he finished again, and this time too he did everything right. 0: 1 became 2: 1: The game was turned, and the great start to the season for Berlin continued with the twelfth point in seven games.
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