Union Berlin secured a 2-0 victory against Holstein Kiel, propelling them to fifth place in the Bundesliga standings. Teenage defender Tom Rothe played a crucial role, providing an assist for the opening goal and scoring the second to seal the win.
Rothe, 19, delivered a precise cross that allowed Aljoscha Kemlein to head in the opening goal in the 18th minute, marking Kemlein’s first Bundesliga goal and making him the first Union junior product to score in the league.
Despite Kiel’s attempts to counter, Rothe capped off the match by heading in a corner from Laszlo Benes in the 89th minute. This victory was Union’s first away win this season and moved them three points behind league leaders Bayern Munich.
Initially expected to play a secondary role this season after transferring from Borussia Dortmund, Rothe’s position in the starting lineup was solidified due to the departure of Germany left-back Robin Gosens. He has since started every league match for Union.
Union coach Bo Svensson emphasized the need to stay grounded, stating, “We’ve played just seven games and our focus is on the next one.” He also referenced last season’s struggles, noting, “We have not forgotten what happened last year,” referring to the team’s need for a last-day win to avoid relegation.
In another match on Sunday, Werder Bremen triumphed 4-2 over 10-man Wolfsburg. Germany striker Marvin Ducksch contributed significantly, with two assists and one goal, helping Bremen come from behind after Tiago Tomas opened the scoring for Wolfsburg.
Ducksch assisted Mitchell Weiser’s impressive goal, which came via a karate-kick in first-half injury time. Bremen took the lead in the 51st minute with Felix Agu’s goal, followed by Ducksch extending the advantage with another goal in the 65th minute.
Wolfsburg faced a setback when Patrick Wimmer received a red card shortly after entering the match due to a dangerous challenge on Marco Grull. Grull then scored Bremen’s fourth goal, ensuring a comfortable win despite a late consolation goal from Joakim Maehle for Wolfsburg.
