1. FC Union Berlin has overcome its small results crisis and underlined its ambitions to participate in the Champions League for the first time. The Köpenickers, who had previously been winless three times in a row, won 1-0 (0-0) at Borussia Mönchengladbach on Sunday evening and defended third place in the Bundesliga with 55 points. The lead over fifth place is already four points. In front of 52,107 spectators at Borussia Park, Sheraldo Becker scored for the visitors in the 60th minute. The Gladbachers lost for the first time after four games and are still stuck in tenth place.

After an unusual and intense pyro show by the Gladbach fans in black, white and green, both teams initially lacked a bit of perspective. The Berliners, who had recently suffered three defeats in a row away from home in the league, the DFB Cup and the Europa League, were concerned with compactness and basic security and relied on fast switching play. Coach Urs Fischer brought in Diogo Leite for Paul Jaeckel, who was suspended after a yellow-red card, but he otherwise trusted his team, which had not been so successful recently.

Alassane Plea, who was weakened during the week due to an infection, remained on the bench for Gladbach, and captain Lars Stindl was to set the tone for him in attack. But in the defensive bulwark of the guests, who defend in a five-man chain when the opponent has possession of the ball, many an attack by the hosts got caught. Long-range shots were a remedy against the best defence in the league, but first Manu Koné (16th) and later Stindl (27th) failed to Union keeper Frederik Rönnow. Borussia's goalscorer Marcus Thuram also repeatedly rubbed up against the visitors' compact defensive line.

It was always dangerous for the hosts when Berlin's fast Becker picked up speed on the counterattack and overran the Gladbach defensive chain. In the 29th minute, Gladbach defender Ko Itakura dangerously deflected a cross from Becker, allowing goalkeeper Jonas Omlin to parry. Jerome Roussillon missed in the 49th minute and shot the ball wide of the target.

But real scoring opportunities did not develop on either side in the disjointed and often interrupted game. In the first half alone, referee Martin Petersen handed out five yellow cards.

Union was the more active team and repeatedly posed problems for Gladbach with their fast attackers. One of these attacks was used by striker Becker with a direct shot after a beautiful cross from Roussillon. That was enough for the Berliners, also because Rönnow stretched with a header from Thuram (84th), who was substituted a little later.