Union Berlin and Borussia Dortmund played out another entertaining match that Dortmund narrowly edged through emphatic goals from Karim Adeyemi and Ian Maatsen.
Story of the match
With Dortmund struggling for form and managing just 11 wins from 23 Bundesliga games so far this season, their lowest tally at this stage of a campaign in the post-Jürgen Klopp era, a win was vital in the Champions League qualification push.
At the other end of the table, Union Berlin are fighting for survival but in the form Edin Terzic can only dream of.
Union have amassed 18 points from 11 games since Nenad Bjelica took charge last year and have moved eight points clear of FC Köln in the relegation zone.
It has been a remarkable turnaround for the hosts that managed just one point in Urs Fischer’s final 10 games in charge.
In a topsy topsy-turvy first half, the best chances fell to the Union Berlin in the opening 30 minutes.
After a brief Pyro-induced delay, Benedict Hollerbach was inches away from a Lucas Tousart cross inside the few first minutes.
In the 24th minute, Volland went close to latching onto an Andras Schafer cross as Union dominated early possession.
Soon after, Hollerbach capitalised on a defensive mistake but could not find his way past Alexander Meyer in the Dortmund goal.
A minute later and Tousart was dancing through the Dortmund defence but could not find a teammate as another golden opportunity went begging.
The chance of the half fell to Kevin Volland on the half-hour mark.
One-on-one with Meyer, Volland rushed his shot and fired high and wide from ten yards.
Union continued to dominate with 65% possession but the momentum soon shifted.
The first shot on target fell to Nico Schlotterbeck from a corner.
A deflected header found its way to Schlotterbeck at the back post but Frederick Rönnow was alert to the danger and did brilliantly to scamper across his line and deny the defender.
Rönnow was against pulling off heroics a few minutes later.
This time, his quick reactions denied Julian Brandt from the edge of the box.
At the third time of asking, Rönnow could do nothing to stop a thunderous strike from Karim David Adeyemi.
In the 41st minute, a powerful curling effort nestled into the top corner with a kiss of the crossbar to send the away Dortmund fans delirious.
Rönnow was back to his best in the second half.
In the 51st minute, the Union goalkeeper stood strong to prevent Niclas Füllkrug from extending the lead.
Moments later, Union should have equalised.
First Hollerbach and then Volland was denied as Meyer matched Rönnow with an extraordinary stop to keep Dortmund ahead.
After that, the game turned scrappy as both sides struggled to assert their dominance on the game.
The defences held strong until substitute Brendan Aaronson finally found an opening with ten minutes left on the clock.
He struck a bouncing ball on the half-volley that was blocked on the line as Union pushed for an equaliser.
Moments later, Volland tested Meyer from the edge of the box but his effort lacked power.
Meyer was called upon again with five minutes remaining.
As he wrestled for the ball inside the Dortmund box, Yorbe Vertessen squeezed the ball through the defence. His effort looked destined for the bottom corner but Meyer managed to tip the ball wide.
In the final minute of normal time, the game was settled.
Ian Maatsen bundled through the Union defence to slot the ball cooly past Rönnow.
It was a fine finish to a win that Dortmund barely deserved but kept them narrowly ahead of RB Leipzig in fourth.
Union stayed 14th.
Moment of the Match
Alexander Meyer may feel that his contributions in goal were worthy highlights but its hard to look past Adeyemi’s first goal of the season.
It was a moment of class in front of goal in a game screaming out for a clinical finish.
It was emphatic.
Rönnow has developed a worthy reputation for his formidable stops in the Union goal and it takes something special to beat him.
Adeyemi’s curling effort from the edge of the box was just that.
After two fine saves from Schlotterbeck and Brandt, Rönnow could only watch as Adeyemi’s shot sailed into his top right corner.
