Union’s 5th Win in a Row

1.FC Union Berlin beat a determined and compact Stern 1900 in Steglitz on Sunday afternoon, 4-0. It saw their distance to the top of the table Viktoria cut to four points.

SFC Stern 1900: Schöpfel – Hartwig, Gabler, Cibusch, Gierig, Schreyer, Wacker (81. Schmitz), Seifert, Nowak, Lange (76. Schneider), Platte

1. FC Union Berlin: Wagner – Wildner, Becker (65. Spolaczyk), Görsdorf, Reissner (78. Bach) – K. Orschmann, Trojahn (65. Rurack), Heiseler – Youssef, D. Orschmann, Krauss (78. Reichenbach)

Goals: 0:1 D. Orschmann (35.), 0:2 Wildner (37.), 0:3 Heiseler (51., Foulelfmeter), 0:4 Rurack (87.)

Attendance: 122

During an interview last week 1. FC Union Berlin’s director of women’s football, Jennifer Zietz, said that she knew Ailien Poese’s side could get through matches like these – those against sides whom Union are clearly better, stronger, more technically able than, and with far greater resources. But, though it sounds weird to say it, it’s tough to keep your focus when you’re winning every week but the team at the top is already so far away, and keep on doing the same.

Those otherwise regular fixtures can become a bit of a slog, especially when they are as determined a side as Stern 1900 are.

It is easy to take your eye off the ball.

Well, yesterday Union not only managed to beat an obdurate and tricky Stern 1900 side they are 32 points better off than in the table, but they did so to find out that Viktoria had finally lost, too, away in Leipzig. It was not always pretty, and it certainly was not the best they have played all year, but Union, inspired by Dina Orschmann, driven on by Lisa Gösdorf and buoyed by Luise “Lotte” Wildner were ultimately convincing in their 4-0 victory at the pretty little Schildhorn Sportplatz in Steglitz.

Union control the first half, two late goals round it off

It took the best part of fifteen minutes for Union to have their first real chance at goal, Nour Youssef flashing a shot over the bar, followed by Marie Becker’s looping header that also went over. Stern were obdurate, determined and hard to break down. It took a mazy, skilful run by Dina Orschmann to carve them open a few minutes later as she cut inside from the inside right, doubled back on herself under the attention of two defender and headed into the box. She was ultimately brought down, certain, she said, that she was inside but the referee pointed to a spot on the edge of the box. Her free kick flew just past the right hand upright.

Union’s success is based on some solid foundations. Becker and Katja Orschmann are an intimidating pairing at centre-back. They are strong in the tackle, good in the air, pacy when tracking back and carry the ball with such authority going forwards, one of them is often at the start of Union’s attacks, such as when Katja played a one-two with Lisa Heiseler with half an hour gone, the two of them moving the ball 30 yards up the middle of the pitch in what seemed like the bat of an eye.

Sophie Trojahn, too, was superb in the middle, one ball out to Youssef split Stern open like she had a bayonet on the outside of her boot such was the prettiness of its exactitude. Stern keeper Julia Schöpfel had to be sharp to dive at the feet of Trojahn’s midfield partner, captain, Lisa Heiseler, before she could squeeze a shot off, halfway through the first half. Heiseler hit the pass of the day to Lina Krauss near the end of the half, a thing of geometric beauty that removed Stern’s entire midfield from the game with the single swish of her boot.

Meanwhile on the left, Naika Reissner, was her usual shuttling self, covering so much distance, always looking to take the full-back on, always coming back to tackle as she did on Kimberly Lange with half an hour gone, superbly, hurting her wrist in the process. There is something of the English winger Chris Waddle about the way she plays, though on the other side of the pitch. Her close control is excellent, and her loping gate means her panicking marker is never sure if she will go at you on the inside or out.

It was Dina Orschmann who eventually made the breakthrough for Union, catching a bouncing ball on the up with her right and guiding it, not striking it, up and over Schöpfel’s head as she came off her line. The keeper had no chance; it was clinically, superbly taken.

Wildner made it two within minutes with a typically powerful header from Heiseler’s corner, she was making her presence felt ever more in the box, growing in stature, and when she was not there, she was a whirling, bustling figure on the right hand touchline.

Union double their lead, see the game out

Union came out of the traps early, Wildner setting the tone when she hit the bar with a lovely first time strike from the edge of the box only a couple of minutes into the half.

But there were worrying glances exchanged when Becker stayed down following a superb challenge on Antonia Platte. It had been a 50-50 ball and Becker needed to be strong to beat out the danger, but they collided nastily, wincing in agony. Becker would not last out the match, coming off as a precaution a little later.

The referee didn’t pause for a second after the 18-year-old Lina Krauss went down in the box after some fine work by Dina Orschmann out on the right. Heiseler took the ball, of course, with such confidence for the captain rarely misses her penalties. She buried it to Schöpfel’s right with the minimum of fuss, sending the keeper the wrong way.

Meanwhile the 100 or so fans on the stand made of blue and yellow plastic seats contented themselves. The handful of Unioner singing indulged in a little call and response of “Eisern… Union”, they waved their flags and and the sun came out, lighting up the pink blossom on the trees on the far side, snuggled in among the low built housing blocks. It was pretty much perfect.

The game was drifting along now, occasionally enlivened by Union’s attacks, often bogged down by Stern’s deep-set defence. Wildner saw a shot go over, and flashed at a header in the box. Heiseler’s free kick from the edge of the D drifted over the wall and just wide, and Youssef hit the bar with a superb drive. Orschmann saw a goal ruled out for offside.

It was the substitute, Zita Rurack, who made it four with a volley from inside the box, following Heiseler’s corner. She hit it as cleanly as you like.

And when the referee finally blew her whistle the players drifted to the sides to receive their plaudits from the fans and from their loved ones on the touchline. Ailien Poese, Union’s head coach, described it as hard work, and lauded the hosts for the way they made things difficult for Union, the way they closed down the spaces and chased and harried Union all over the pitch.

But they had done what was needed of them, and they saw that distance to the top – even if only by a fraction – get that tiny bit smaller.