Bundesliga
Union pick up first Champions League point in Naples
David Fofana scored as Union Berlin ended their 12-game losing streak to draw with Napoli and keep alive their hopes of playing European football in the spring.
Napoli 1-1 Union Berlin
Goals: 1-0 Politano 39', 1-1 Fofana 52'
Following three straight defeats in their first-ever Champions League group stage campaign, Union travelled to southern Italy knowing they needed a positive result to ensure progress from Group C remained a potential reality. That was reflected in their bold start, and Sheraldo Becker quickly called Alex Meret into action as Urs Fischer’s men looked anything but a team that had last avoided defeat on 26 August. But they soon ran out of steam as Napoli moved up a gear, and even without the injured Victor Osimhen, the hosts threatened whenever they reached the final third. Natan headed against a post before André-Frank Zambo Anguissa thought he had given Napoli the lead when he headed in from close range. VAR ruled out the strike for a foul by Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, but there was no reprieve when Mário Rui’s low cross ricocheted up off the foot of Josip Juranović and flashed past Fredrik Rønnow off Matteo Politano’s chest.
Juranović would have drawn Union level with the very last kick of the half but his low free-kick from just outside the area pinged off Meret’s right-hand upright. Instead, it was Fofana who did so when Jérôme Roussillon’s long ball forward caught Napoli short at the back: Becker’s shot was saved by Meret, but Fofana smashed home the rebound. Union kept their opponents at arm’s length until the closing stages: Rønnow watched as Amir Rrahmani’s glancing header cleared his crossbar before the Union goalkeeper got everything behind a Khvicha Kvaratskhelia drive as Union picked up an historic first Champions League point to retain hope of clinching third spot in Group C and progressing to the UEFA Europa League.
Match stats
- Fofana’s goal was Union’s first in five competitive outings.
- The on-loan Chelsea forward has now scored in all three UEFA senior club competitions after netting for former side Molde in the Conference League and Europa League.
- Union have kept just one clean sheet in 16 competitive games this season.
- This was the first European match in five against German opponents in which Napoli have conceded a goal.
- Union have scored more than one goal in just one of their 13 UEFA competition games in the club’s history.
Teams
Napoli: Meret - Di Lorenzo (c), Rrahmani, Natan, Rui (Olivera 77') - Anguissa, Lobotka (Simeone 77'), Zieliński (Cajuste 90+1') - Politano (Lindstrøm 87'), Raspadori, Kvaratskhelia
Unused subs: Contini, Gollini, Juan Jesus, Elmas, Zerbin, Zanoli, Gaetano, Østigård
Coach: Rudi Garcia
Union Berlin: Rønnow - Jaeckel, Bonucci, Leite - Juranovic (Trimmel 64'), Laïdouni (Král 70'), Haberer (Aaronson 79'), Khedira (c) (Tousart 70'), Roussillon (Gosens 80') - Becker, Fofana
Unused subs: Schwolow, Stein, Volland, Behrens, Knoche, Dehl
Coach: Urs Fischer
As it happened!
1 - 1(1 - 0)
Napoli
FINAL
Union Berlin
vs
Union hold Napoli!
Brilliant! Union fight hard for their first Champions League point. They can't reach the last 16, but could still go into the Europa League by finishing third in Group C.
90' +7
vs
Nervy moments...
Napoli win a corner, which Union are going to have to defend with nine outfield players. Fofana has cramp...
90' +7
vs
Half chance!
Becker with time to turn on the edge of the Napoli area, but his shoot is miles over.
90' +5
vs
Strong goalkeeping
Union have everyone back as a cross comes into the box. It's half cleared and returned to Kvaratskhelia, who shoots straight at Rönnow on the turn!
90' +1
vs
Tous-argh!
Tousart fires narrowly wide from outside the Napoli box. Seven additional minutes - can Union steal a late winner?
90'
vs
Cajuste
Zielinski
89'
vs
Union still plugging away
Becker forces a corner. The referee uses the brief stoppage to call back Simeone for a shirt pull on Král, but the set-piece comes to nothing.
89'
vs
Simeone
87'
vs
Familiar face
Jesper Lindstrom, who helped Frankfurt win the 2021/22 Europa League, replaces Politano.
87'
vs
Lindstrom
Politano
80'
vs
Robin Gosens
Jérôme Roussillon
79'
vs
Brenden Aaronson
Janik Haberer
86'
vs
Simeone!
Raspadori to the by-line. He pings in a cross for Simeone, who's stooping and can't keep his header down.
77'
vs
Simeone
Lobotka
77'
vs
Olivera
Rui
76'
vs
Lucas Tousart
80'
vs
Almost!
Rrahmani heads a corner onto the roof of the net, with Rönnow rooted to the spot.
73'
vs
Turning tide?
Union have been so positive in the second half. Napoli are beginning to look a little rattled.
69'
vs
Double change
Král and Tousart replace Khedira and Laidouni, who have worked their socks off in the centre of the Union midfield.
69'
vs
Alex Král
Aissa Laidouni
69'
vs
Lucas Tousart
Rani Khedira
68'
vs
Trimmel!
Union counter again with Roussillon and Becker. The ball is pulled back to the edge of the box, where Trimmel connects first-time, forcing Meret to punch clear.
41'
vs
Leonardo Bonucci
67'
vs
Proceed with caution
Jaeckel joins Bonucci in the book for a foul on the lively Politano. That's two of Union's three-man defence on yellow cards.
67'
vs
Paul Jaeckel
64'
vs
Change at right-back
Fresh legs, with Trimmel on for Juranovic, who was a doubt before the game.
64'
vs
Christopher Trimmel
Josip Juranovic
62'
vs
Denied!
Jaeckel gets in the way of a Politano strike following another Napoli corner - their 12th of the game.
56'
vs
Close!
Union give as good as they get as Roussillon crosses for Becker. He tries to toe it goalwards on the stretch, but a deflection takes it wide. Superb response from Fischer's team since the restart!
54'
vs
Safe hands
Rönnow gets behind Rrahmani's header from a corner. Consider the Napoli bear poked...
52'
vs
Union are level!
Classic Union goal, breaking away after clearing a Napoli corner. Becker's initial shot is saved, but there's no stopping Fofana on the rebound. That's Union's first goal for five games - can they get another?
46'
vs
As you were
Politano heads wide from a corner as Napoli pick up where they left off. No changes at the break.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
0 - 0
Half-time
45' +5
vs
Off the post!
Desperately unlucky for Union as Juranovic hits a free-kick against the right-hand post!
44'
vs
Time added on
Five more minutes at the end of a first half dominated by the Italian champions...
38'
vs
This one counts!
Napoli get it wide for Rui, who fizzes a low cross towards the six-yard box. It deflects off Juranovic and hits Politano who, like Union goalkeeper Rönnow, knew very little about it. Union behind in Naples...
36'
vs
Wide!
Politano makes the most of hesitancy in the Union defence by Jaeckel. He takes aim from 18 yards, but the ball hits a teammate and goes behind for a goal-kick. Napoli are in total control.
32'
vs
Disallowed!
It won't count! Di Lorenzo is penalised for using Roussillon for leverage, so it remains goalless.
30'
vs
Goal or no goal?
Napoli's persistence tells. Di Lorenzo heads down Rui's in-swinging cross for Anguissa to slam home from close range. However, the referee will consult the VAR for a possible foul on Roussillon...
28'
vs
Speculative
Union are having to switch between a three- and five-man defence at times. Five becomes three as they go on the attack, with Fofana ballooning over from 20 yards.
24'
vs
Woodwork!
Union get away with one as Natan heads Kvaratskhelia's right-wing cross against the upright.
21'
vs
Home advantage beginning to tell
Napoli have taken charge of this one. Can Union ride the storm?
17'
vs
Rönnow called on!
Di Lorenzo drives into the Union box, but can't get a shot off. Zieliński can, the Napoli forward forcing Rönnow into a strong save from close range.
13'
vs
Counter threat
A corner is swung in by Juranovic, before the whistle sounds for a foul on Meret. Union are attacking with confidence when the chance presents itself. They certainly don't look like a team on a 12-match losing run in all competitions.
9'
vs
Painful one
Leite takes a rasping drive to the groin area, and needs treatment.
6'
vs
Warning shot
Politano with a purposeful run towards the edge of the Union area. It's worked into the feet of Kvaratskhelia, who sees his shot blocked. Bonucci completes the clearance for Union.