Roared on by its biggest crowd for the foreseeable future, Union Berlin defeated Leipzig 2-1 to climb to fourth in the Bundesliga and deepen the visitor's crisis on Friday.
Goals from Taiwo Awoniyi and Timo Baumgartl lifted Union into a Champions League qualification place ahead of the rest of the 14th round and left Leipzig scrambling for answers after its third successive domestic defeat.
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Roared on by its biggest crowd for the foreseeable future, Union Berlin defeated Leipzig 2-1 to climb to fourth in the Bundesliga and deepen the visitor's crisis on Friday.
Assistant Marco Kurth conveyed Marsch’s instructions from afar, but the visitors’ star player was goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi amid snowfall in the eastern Berlin borough of Köpenick.
Christopher Nkunku equalized a few minutes later when Union goalkeeper Andreas Luthe misjudged the French player’s harmless looking shot from distance. The ball bounced in front of Luthe before passing over through his hands.
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Union's Taiwo Awoniyi scores his side's first goal goal during Germany's Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Leipzig in Berlin, Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. (Andreas Goradpa via AP)
Leipzig was without coach Jesse Marsch and his assistant Achim Beierlorzer due to coronavirus infections. Players Willi Orban and Hugo Novoa were also in isolation amid an outbreak at the club, while striker Yussuf Poulsen was out with a calf injury after recovering from his COVID-19 infection.
Leipzig's Lukas Klostermann, right, in action against Union's Sheraldo Becker during Germany's Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Leipzig in Berlin, Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. (Andreas Goradpa via AP)
Assistant Marco Kurth conveyed Marsch’s instructions from afar, but the visitors’ star player was goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi amid snowfall in the eastern Berlin borough of Köpenick.
Union was allowed half capacity in its 22,000-capacity stadium, but new restrictions are taking hold with effect from Wednesday limiting numbers at 5,000 in a bid to control rising infection rates.
Awoniyi opened the scoring in the sixth minute, finishing off from close range for his ninth goal of the season after Baumgartl headed on a Julian Ryerson cross.
Union's Timo Baumgartl reacts after scoring his team's second goal, during Germany's Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Leipzig in Berlin, Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. (Andreas Goradpa via AP)
Christopher Nkunku equalized a few minutes later when Union goalkeeper Andreas Luthe misjudged the French player’s harmless looking shot from distance. The ball bounced in front of Luthe before passing over through his hands.
Baumgartl restored Union’s lead in the 57th, a simple finish after Leipzig’s Konrad Laimer deflected Max Kruse’s initial effort off a corner.
It proved to be the winner with the home team missing further chances.
Union's Rani Khedira, left, in action against Leipzig's Konrad Laimeriday during Germany's Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Leipzig in Berlin, Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. (Andreas Goradpa via AP)
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Union's Taiwo Awoniyi celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's first goal goal during Germany's Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Leipzig in Berlin, Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. (Andreas Goradpa via AP)
Union's Taiwo Awoniyi scores his side's first goal goal during Germany's Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Leipzig in Berlin, Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. (Andreas Goradpa via AP)
Greuther Fürth was relegated from the Bundesliga after losing at home to Champions League candidate Bayer Leverkusen 4-1 on Saturday.
Jetro Willems gave the enthusiastic home fans some hope of a miraculous escape with the opening goal in the fifth minute, but Patrik Schick answered four minutes later and Sardar Azmoun, Paulinho and Exequiel Palacios piled on for the visitors.
Fürth remained bottom of the league after 31 games – 12 points from safety with three games remaining.
Fuerth's players Sebastian Griesbeck, left, and Timothy Tillman, right, walk across the pitch after the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. Greuther Fürth has been relegated from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
Coach Stefan Leitl’s team was promoted last year when it finished second in the second division, but it never recovered from a poor start to the Bundesliga despite encouraging performances in the second half of the season. Fürth lost all but one of its first 14 games until it claimed its first win in the 15th round by beating Union Berlin.
Also on Saturday, Union came from behind thanks to substitute Sven Michel to beat Leipzig 2-1 away and atone for its loss to Leipzig in their German Cup semifinal on Wednesday.
Michel equalized in the 86th then set up Kevin Behrens with his heel for a dramatic winner in the 89th as Union won in Leipzig for the first time.
Fuerth's players walk across the pitch after the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. Greuther Fürth has been relegated from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
The end of Leipzig’s 15-game unbeaten run across all competitions allowed Leverkusen to reclaim third place. Leverkusen dropped to fourth last weekend with a loss at home to Leipzig, but the sides have switched positions again, leaving Leipzig in the last qualification place for the Champions League.
Freiburg was fifth after coming from two goals down to lead Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-2 only to concede the equalizer in injury time to Gladbach’s Lars Stindl.
Cologne was seventh behind Union after a 3-1 win over Arminia Bielefeld, which remained second from bottom and the favorite to join Fürth in the second division.
Union's Sven Michel, right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Jan Woitasdpa via AP)
Also, Eintracht Frankfurt drew with Hoffenheim 2-2.
Bayern Munich hosted main rival Borussia Dortmund in “der Klassiker” late Saturday, when the Bavarian powerhouse was hoping to seal what would be a record-extending 10th consecutive title.
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Leverkusen's scorer Exequiel Palacios, left, and his teammate Paulinho celebrate their side's fourth goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
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Freiburg's Christian Guenter celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022 (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Frankfurt's Daichi Kamada, center, scores his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween Eintracht Frankfurt and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Arne Dedertdpa via AP)
Cologne's scorer Anthony Modeste, left, and Jannes Horn, right, celebrate their side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween 1. FC Cologne and Arminia Bielefeld in Cologne, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Marius Beckerdpa via AP)
Frankfurt's head coach Oliver Glasner gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween Eintracht Frankfurt and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Arne Dedertdpa via AP)
Leverkusen's Sardar Azmoun celebrates his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
Freiburg's head coach Christian Streich gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Moenchengladbach's Kouadio Kone, left, and Freiburg's Vincenzo Grifo, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Leipzig's goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, right, saves the ball against Union's Taiwo Awoniyi, left, during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. ( Jan Woitasdpa via AP)
