FC Union Berlin 3-1 RB Leipzig: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Bwin’s post-match review of FC Union Berlin 3-1 RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga on Friday, 12 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

FC Union Berlin won 3-1 against RB Leipzig. The first half ended goalless, with both sides creating chances but failing to convert, as Union Berlin absorbed pressure from Leipzig’s possession dominance. Janik Haberer picked up a yellow card in the 37th minute for Union, while David Raum was booked for Leipzig in the 50th, setting a tense tone before the goals arrived. Coming off a mixed run including a recent loss to VfL Wolfsburg and a draw with FC Bayern München, Union Berlin looked to build on their home form.

The breakthrough came in the 57th minute when Oliver Burke scored for Union Berlin, assisted by Woo-yeong Jeong, but RB Leipzig equalised quickly through Tidiam Gomis in the 60th, assisted by Conrad Harder. Union regained the lead in the 63rd via Ilyas Ansah, assisted by Christopher Trimmel who had just come on as a substitute. A late goal from Tim Skarke in the 90+3rd minute, assisted by Andrej Ilic, sealed the win, capping a performance that contrasted with Leipzig’s recent strong showings like their 6-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.

RB Leipzig controlled 63% of possession compared to Union Berlin’s 37%, pointing to their intent to dictate play, yet Union made more of their opportunities with higher successful dribbles at 50 against Leipzig’s 33, suggesting effective counter-attacks. Corners were close at 6-4 in Leipzig’s favour, but Union’s three assists to Leipzig’s one highlighted better creativity in the final third, while both teams saw two yellow cards each, reflecting a competitive but not overly heated encounter.

Substitutions played a role too, with Union Berlin using all five slots – including Christopher Trimmel replacing Janik Haberer at 59’, Andrej Ilic for Oliver Burke and András Schäfer for Woo-yeong Jeong both at 67’, plus Stanley Nsoki for Derrick Köhn and Tim Skarke for Ilyas Ansah at 85’ – which brought fresh energy for their late push. Leipzig made three changes, with Tidiam Gomis replacing Johan Bakayoko at 58’, Andrija Maksimovic for Kosta Nedeljkovic at 81’, and Timo Werner for Nicolas Seiwald at 90’, but these could not turn the tide.

The match turned in the second half with Oliver Burke’s 57th-minute goal for Union Berlin, assisted by Woo-yeong Jeong, breaking the deadlock after a cautious opening period marked by yellow cards to Janik Haberer at 37’ and Danilho Doekhi at 54’ for the hosts, plus David Raum at 50’ and Conrad Harder at 72’ for Leipzig. RB Leipzig responded swiftly as Tidiam Gomis scored in the 60th, assisted by Conrad Harder, levelling the score briefly.

Union Berlin’s substitutions proved decisive, with Christopher Trimmel coming on for Janik Haberer at 59’ and assisting Ilyas Ansah’s 63rd-minute goal to regain the lead, before further changes like Andrej Ilic replacing Oliver Burke at 67’ set up Tim Skarke’s injury-time strike at 90+3’, assisted by Ilic, to secure the points.

FC Union Berlin lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, allowing them to defend solidly with players like Danilho Doekhi while pushing forward through partnerships such as Woo-yeong Jeong assisting Oliver Burke. Key contributions came from Ilyas Ansah in attack, and substitutions like Christopher Trimmel coming on to provide an assist highlighted their midfield flexibility.

RB Leipzig deployed a 4-3-3 shape, focusing on width and possession with players like David Raum in defence and Conrad Harder assisting Tidiam Gomis up front. Substitutes such as Tidiam Gomis entering to score showed their attacking options, though the setup struggled to convert dominance into more goals.

Ilyas Ansah earned Bwin’s Man of the Match award for his standout performance, netting one goal and delivering one key pass despite no assists or big chances created. His 63rd-minute strike, assisted by Christopher Trimmel, proved pivotal in restoring Union Berlin’s lead and shifting momentum.

Recent Bundesliga matches:

• Win: 3-1 vs RB Leipzig (H)
• Loss: 1-3 vs VfL Wolfsburg (A)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Heidenheim (H)
• Win: 1-0 vs St. Pauli (A)
• Draw: 2-2 vs FC Bayern München (H)

Recent Bundesliga matches:

• Loss: 1-3 vs FC Union Berlin (A)
• Win: 6-0 vs Eintracht Frankfurt (H)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Borussia Mönchengladbach (A)
• Win: 2-0 vs Werder Bremen (H)
• Loss: 1-3 vs TSG Hoffenheim (A)

FC Union Berlin have just secured a 3-1 home win over RB Leipzig, boosting their position to eighth on 18 points after a patchy run that included losses to VfL Wolfsburg and Heidenheim but also a win against St. Pauli. They next face FC Köln on 2025-12-20 at 14:30, with the opponents sitting 10th on 16 points, offering a chance to climb towards European spots if they maintain this momentum.

RB Leipzig have just suffered a 1-3 away defeat to FC Union Berlin, denting their second-place standing on 29 points despite a strong recent form featuring a 6-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt and a draw with Borussia Mönchengladbach. They host Bayer 04 Leverkusen on 2025-12-20 at 17:30, with the visitors fourth on 26 points, making this a key clash to protect their title challenge against close rivals.

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