Union Berlin delivered a stunning upset on Sunday, March 9, 2025, defeating Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 at Deutsche Bank Park. The victory not only provided much-needed points for Union, bolstering their fight against relegation, but it also marked Frankfurt's third consecutive loss, shaking their hold on the Champions League positions.
Eintracht Frankfurt entered the match sitting fourth, aiming to maintain their status and recover from recent defeats, including a troubling 4-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen. Their hopes were buoyed early when Michy Batshuayi scored his first goal for the club just 13 minutes after kickoff. After Rasmus Kristensen's shot was blocked, the ball fell favorably for Batshuayi, who slotted it just inside the left post, igniting celebrations among the home supporters.
Despite Frankfurt's promising start, the first half largely belonged to them, as Union struggled to find their rhythm. The visitors starred with only one clear chance—a powerful strike from Andrej Ilić—comfortably saved by Frankfurt’s goalkeeper Kevin Trapp. Frankfurt looked poised to extend their lead, but they missed golden opportunities, including a penalty appeal when Jean-Mattéo Bahoya was taken down by Josip Juranović, which was waved off by the referee.
Things began to shift dramatically after the halftime break. Union Berlin's coach Steffen Baumgart made tactical changes, bringing on Benedict Hollerbach and András Schäfer early in the second half to bolster their attacking efforts. Those changes breathed new life to the visitors, who equalized around the 62nd minute when Leopold Querfeld headed home from Christopher Trimmel’s corner kick, marking his first goal of the season.
The match swung warmly in Union’s favor when, just 16 minutes later, South Korean forward Jeong Woo-yeong found the net with a brilliant strike from around 20 yards, curling the ball beautifully past Trapp. The goal sent the Union fans inside the stadium, particularly the traveling supporters, reeling with joy. Lucrative moments followed as Hollerbach thought he scored again mere minutes later, but his goal was disallowed by VAR for handball, instead making way for more tension.
Frankfurt's hopes of salvaging the game were nearly dashed entirely when they were awarded a penalty kick deep within stoppage time. Diogo Leite was penalized for handball after video review—providing Hugo Ekitiké with the chance to equalize from the spot. Unfortunately for the hosts, Frederik Rønnow ensured Union’s memorable victory by saving Ekitiké’s attempt, preventing not just the equalizer but potentially salvaging Frankfurt's position within the top four of the Bundesliga.
Following the match, Union's captain Christopher Trimmel reflected on the importance of this victory for his side. "The hard part is producing these performances consistently, so I’m happy but don’t want to get carried away. It was a good step, but there’s still some way to go," Trimmel stated, acknowledging the challenge remaining for Union as they fight to secure their survival.
Union Berlin’s win lifted them six points clear of the relegation zone, marking it as one of their most significant victories of the season. Conversely, Eintracht Frankfurt remained fourth but dropped out of the top three for the first time since matchday 10.
The league's pattern continued to indicate tumult among top teams, as both Bayern Munich and Leverkusen also fell short against their opponents earlier this weekend. Frankfurt now faces considerable pressure as they prepare to face Ajax for the second leg of their Europa League tie on Thursday, March 13, 2025, holding onto a 2-1 lead from the first match.
This weekend's Bundesliga results raised concerns for Frankfurt, who, after selling Omar Marmoush to Manchester City for 75 million euros, have struggled drastically. They have now secured only one victory from their last seven league matches.
Even with the heavy stakes, and they attempted to hold their composure, the inability to convert chances and the uncharacteristic defense may haunt Frankfurt moving forward. Meanwhile, Union aims to build on this momentum as they eye their next match to escape the threat of relegation, hoping this victory serves as the catalyst for survival in the Bundesliga.
Union’s performance recharged their ambitions, highlighting not only their potential but also the unpredictable nature of the Bundesliga this season.