Union's European adventure comes to an end

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Union Saint-Gilloise 3-0 Union Berlin (agg: 6-3)
Goals: 1-0 Teuma (18’), 2-0 Amani (63’), 3-0 Lapoussin (90'+4)
Red card: Haberer (80’)

Union came to Belgium for the second time this season, having previously beaten St. Gilloise 1-0 here in the group stage. The hosts fired off a warning shot that they would be a threat on the counter when Victor Boniface, who bagged a brace in the 3-3 first-leg draw in Berlin, struck the post. Josip Juranovic had scored the first of Die Eisernen’s three equalisers a week ago at the Stadion an der Alten Försterei and soon fizzed the rebound from a blocked free-kick just wide. However, the Bundesliga club were soon behind when Robin Knoche lost possession on the edge of his own box and St. Gilloise captain Teddy Teuma was able to fire home. Juranovic then came close yet again with a free-kick that curled just wide of the far post as Union demonstrated their threat from set pieces.

The issue for the Berliners, however, was that they didn’t have enough of those opportunities to pose further danger in the second half, apart from a Sheraldo Becker free-kick that was off target. Instead, it was the hosts who struck, with Boniface proving the nemesis once again to tee up Lazare Amani with just over an hour gone. The tie was then beyond Die Eisernen once and for all when substitute Janik Haberer was sent off for a second yellow card on 80 minutes. The hosts then added a third deep in added time through Loic Lapoussin. It ends another magical chapter in Union’s fairy-tale season that has seen them lead the Bundesliga table for the first time in their history. They can now return their focus to domestic action, where they are seven points behind Bayern Munich in fourth and through to the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup, where they will visit Eintracht Frankfurt in April.

• Union have still never progressed beyond two knockout rounds in a European competition.
• This was the first time in four two-legged ties that the Berliners lost the second leg (previously two wins and a draw).
• Die Eisernen’s run of three consecutive away clean sheets in the Europa League came to an end.
• Union’s record in the Europa League this season was five wins, two draws and three defeats. One of those victories includes a famous 3-1 success over Ajax in the previous round.

Teams

Saint-Gilloise: Moris - Nieuwkoop, Burgess, Kandouss, Van der Heyden - Lapoussin, Teuma (c) (El Azzouzi 85’), Lynen - Amani, Boniface (Terho 90'+2), Adingra (Nilsson 67’)
Unused subs: Imbrechts, Pirard, Eckert, Puertas, Sykes, Machida, Huygevelde
Out: Vertessen (knock)
Coach: Karel Geraerts

Union: Ronnow - Doehkhi, Knoche, Leite - Juranovic (Trimmel 74’), Laidouni (Haberer 56’), Khedira (c), Thorsby (Leweling 67’), Roussillon (Gießelmann 74’) - Becker, Michel (Jordan 56’)
Unused subs: Grill, Stein, Jaeckel, Maciejewski, Kemlein
Out: Baumgartl (ineligible), Behrens (ill), Busk (ineligible), Seguin (ineligible), Möhwald (ineligible), Öztunali (ineligible), Pantovic (ineligible), Schäfer (foot)
Coach: Urs Fischer

As it happened

Union Berlin drew 3-3 with Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League last-16 tie, in a helter-skelter encounter in the German capital featuring a stunning Josip Juranovic free-kick and late Sven Michel leveller.

Union Berlin 3-3 Union Saint-Gilloise
Goals: 0-1 Boniface 28' (assist: Vertessen), 1-1 Juranovic 42', 1-2 Vertessen 58' (assist: Lapoussin), 2-2 Knoche 69', 2-3 Boniface 72' (assist: Vertessen), 3-3 Michel 89' (assist: Leite)

Union made a confident battling and attacking start at a swaying Stadion An der Alten Försterei. With the Belgian outfit sitting back, Union sought to force their way through via a typically aerial route – with Sheraldo Becker testing Anthony Moris in the Saint-Gilloise goal with a volley and Morten Thorsby heading wide from the resulting corner. Kevin Behrens forced Moris into another good save from a corner as the Berlin side continued to control proceedings. The hosts' failure to make the breakthrough came back to bite them around the half-hour mark, though, as Victor Boniface’s shot from the edge of the area took a looping deflection off Behrens and flew in to give the visitors the lead. Few chances to level things came before the break – until Juranvoic stepped up to take a free-kick 18 yards out and send an unstoppable effort curling inside the near post.

The Bundesliga side continued to take the more progressive approach into the second 45, with Christopher Trimmel heading a cross down into Thorsby’s path but the Norwegian’s effort was blocked behind for a corner. Saint-Gilloise then stunned Union on the break in their first attack of the half, with Trimmel losing the ball and Loic Lapoussin poking it through to Yorbe Vertessen for an easy finish. Jordan had a chance to equalise within moments of coming on as a substitute, but the American was unable to hit the target. Union’s intent paid off when Robin Knoche converted a penalty on the rebound, only for the visitors to carve them open on the break again just three minutes later and Boniface to restore the lead. That sucker-punch seemed to snatch the momentum away from Union for a while, but up popped substitute Sven Michel to slide in a vital late equaliser. With Jamie Leweling getting a stoppage-time chance to win it, the Berlin side will be confident they can outplay their opponents in the return leg in Belgium next week to progress.