BERLIN (AP) — Union Berlin fans rose to their feet to applaud their team despite Leipzig substitute Benjamin Sesko scoring twice to end Union’s long unbeaten run at home in the Bundesliga with a 3-0 defeat on Sunday.
Sesko’s second goal in the 87th was his second in three minutes and it confirmed Union’s first loss at Stadion an der Alten Försterei after 24 league games unbeaten – a club record.
Another 20-year-old, Xavi Simons, let fly from the edge of the penalty area to open the scoring in the 51st minute.
Former Germany forward Kevin Volland made his first start for Union and was sent off in the 64th for a foul on Mohamed Simakan, when he clipped the back of his ankle. The Leipzig defender was substituted shortly afterward.
It’s Leipzig’s first win over rival Union in the Bundesliga at the fifth attempt. Union won their previous four meetings, all by scores of 2-1.
The home fans stood for six minutes of injury time, clapping as they sang: “FC Union, our love, our team, our pride, our club.” They had earlier stayed largely silent for the first 15 minutes to protest their rival, which they see as a marketing tool for the energy drinks manufacturer Red Bull.
They broke their silence when Volland had a good header saved by Janis Blaswich in the 13th.
Simons had a good effort saved by Frederik Rönnow at the other end shortly afterward. They were the best chances either team had in the first half as an intensive battle developed in midfield with both defenses on top.
But Simons broke the deadlock with a sweeping shot after Union’s defense failed to stop either Kevin Kampl or Benjamin Henrichs, who set the Dutch youngster up, and Volland’s sending off was another blow.
Rönnow made two good saves to keep the home team’s hopes alive until Sesko grabbed his first two Bundesliga goals.
DREAM DEBUT
French defender Niels Nkounkou scored on his debut after going on as a substitute to rescue a 1-1 draw for Eintracht Frankfurt against Cologne.
Florian Kainz’s penalty was enough for the visitors to lead at the break, but Frankfurt’s pressure finally paid off in the 87th when American midfielder Paxten Aaronson found Nkounkou free on the left. The 24-year-old Kainz unleashed a powerful shot inside the far post.
It was Frankfurt’s first game since losing star forward Randal Kolo Muani to Paris Saint-Germain in a club-record 95 million euro-sale ($102.5 million).
Defending champion Bayern Munich beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 on Saturday. Bayer Leverkusen is the only other team to have won its first three games. The two meet in the fourth round on Sept. 15.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
