It was the day they’d been waiting for.
Union Berlin and its supporters celebrated the end of coronavirus restrictions on Friday with a noisy 1-0 win over Cologne in a Bundesliga game played in front of a sell-out 22,012-capacity crowd.
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It was the day they’d been waiting for.
But that was just the cherry on top for Union’s ecstatic fans.
Both Union and Cologne supporters marked the occasion by lighting flares before the game. The match itself arguably failed to live up to the pyrotechnics show as both teams canceled each other out in a hard-fought struggle.
“It probably doesn't get any better,” Union coach Urs Fischer said of the fans' return and his own team's 41 points. Union's initial target was survival in its third ever season in the Bundesliga. Now it can again challenge for European qualification.
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Berlin's Niko Giesselmann, left, vies for the ball with Cologne's Kingsley Ehizibue, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Cologne, in Berlin, Friday, April 1, 2022. (Andreas Goradpa via AP)
Taiwo Awoniyi’s 12th league goal of the season helped Union overtake the visitors to move to seventh with six games of the season remaining.
Union Berlin's Sheraldo Becker, left, vies for the ball with Cologne's Salih Ozca, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Cologne, in Berlin, Friday, April 1, 2022. (Andreas Goradpa via AP)
But that was just the cherry on top for Union’s ecstatic fans.
Even the ultras who boycotted the club’s last game in a full stadium – the 2-0 win over Hertha Berlin on Nov. 20 – returned. The diehard supporters skipped the derby in protest against mask wearing and other restrictions meant to limit the risk of COVID-19 infections. Germany was going through its fourth wave at the time and only fans who showed proof of vaccination or recovery were allowed to attend. No alcohol was served at the derby.
All those precautions were scrapped on Friday, the day that almost all coronavirus restrictions were dropped in Berlin despite stubbornly high infection rates across the country.
Berlin's Taiwo Awoniyi, centre, scores past Cologne goalkeeper Marvin Schwabe, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Cologne, in Berlin, Friday, April 1, 2022. (Andreas Goradpa via AP)
Both Union and Cologne supporters marked the occasion by lighting flares before the game. The match itself arguably failed to live up to the pyrotechnics show as both teams canceled each other out in a hard-fought struggle.
A mistake from Jonas Hector decided it. The Cologne captain played the ball across his goal but apparently failed to see Awoniyi, who gratefully accepted the pass and fired past goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe in the 49th minute.
It helped Union end its three-game run without a win.
Berlin's Sheraldo Becker, left, receives a yellow card from referee Florian Badstubner, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Cologne, in Berlin, Friday, April 1, 2022. (Andreas Goradpa via AP)
“It probably doesn't get any better,” Union coach Urs Fischer said of the fans' return and his own team's 41 points. Union's initial target was survival in its third ever season in the Bundesliga. Now it can again challenge for European qualification.
Cologne was without top-scorer Anthony Modeste due to illness.
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Cologne's Kingsley Ehizibue, left, is shown a yellow card by referee Florian Badstubner during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Cologne, in Berlin, Friday, April 1, 2022. (Andreas Goradpa via AP)
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Berlin goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow, 2nd from left, deflects a ball between teammate Timo Baumgartl, left and Sebastian Andersson of Cologne., during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Cologne, in Berlin, Friday, April 1, 2022. (Andreas Goradpa via AP)
Berlin's Niko Giesselmann, left, vies for the ball with Cologne's Kingsley Ehizibue, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Cologne, in Berlin, Friday, April 1, 2022. (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)
