Jordan and Becker keep Union top

Union Berlin 2-0 Wolfsburg
Goals: 1-0 Jordan 54’ (assist: Becker), 2-0 Becker 77’ (assist: Seguin)

Topping the German football pyramid for the first time ever coming into this weekend, Union had been shifted from first place momentarily by Borussia Dortmund’s Revierderby win over Schalke on Saturday. Die Eisernen came out with intent at a sold-out Stadion An der Alten Försterei and needed less than 60 seconds to carve out a chance when captain Christopher Trimmel teed up Janik Haberer on the volley, but he was denied from a tight angle by Koen Casteels. And the Wolfsburg goalkeeper was certainly the more preoccupied in the first half but without being tested too much. It took the visitors over half an hour to muster up their only effort of the opening 45 minutes when Josip Brekalo dragged wide. But Union and the returning Timo Baumgartl – making his first appearance since beating cancer – looked comfortable throughout.

The second half began in almost exactly the same fashion as the Berlin club created a chance less than a minute after restarting. On this occasion it was Jordan who curled an effort wide from around 12 yards. The US international came close again moments later when picked out by Becker, but again he couldn’t hit the target. Maximilian Arnold flashed an effort wide at the other end but it proved third time lucky for Jordan as he got his head to a Becker cross at the near post to beat Casteels. August’s Player of the Month then made doubly sure of the result and Union’s place at the Bundesliga summit over the international break when he ran onto Paul Seguin’s chip, chested it down and finished to also take him clear at the top of the Bundesliga scoring chart.

• Jordan got his third goal of the campaign – all of which have put Union 1-0 up and been assisted by Becker.
• August Player of the Month Becker has now had a direct hand in a league-high nine goals this season, scoring six (most in the division) and setting up three.
• Only Werder Bremen (five) have scored more headed goals in 2022/23 than Union (four, with two from Jordan).
• Die Eisernen are unbeaten in a club record 14 Bundesliga matches (W11, D3). It’s the longest run of any team in the division, and in their club history.
• First-time Bundesliga leaders Union have now topped the table for two straight weeks. The last team not called Bayern Munich to spend more than one matchday at the summit was Wolfsburg (Matchdays 2-4 of 2021/22).
• Wolfsburg have only failed to win away to two of the current clubs currently in the Bundesliga: Bayern (26 matches) and Union (now four matches).

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Watch: Becker happy with scoring record

Union: Ronnow - Baumgartl (Jaeckel 62’), Knoche, Leite - Trimmel (c), Schäfer (Seguin 76’), Khedira, Haberer (Thorsby 62’), Gießelmann - Becker (Michel 87’), Jordan (Behrens 87’)
Unused subs: Grill, Ryerson, Haraguchi, Pantovic
Out: Doekhi (knock), Möhwald (knock)
Coach: Urs Fischer

Wolfsburg: Casteels - Baku, Lacroix, Van de Ven, Otavio (Gerhardt 69’) - Svanberg (F. Nmecha 60’), Franjic (Paredes 79’), Arnold (c) - Waldschmidt (Marmoush 60’), L. Nmecha, Brekalo (Kaminski 78’)
Unused subs: Pervan, Fischer, Bornauw, Guilavogui
Out: Kruse (not considered), Roussillon (Achilles), Wimmer (head), Wind (thigh)
Coach: Niko Kovac

Watch: Baumgartl: "My comeback is for everyone battling cancer"