First decimated, then combative and in the end frustrated: 1. FC Union was unable to continue its invincible series at the start of the group phase in the Conference League.
In the case of Czech champions Slavia Prague, the Berlin Bundesliga club lost 1: 3 (0: 1) after a long deficit on Thursday evening.
The goals of Alexander Bah (18th minute), Jan Kuchta (84th) and Ivan Schranz (88th) ended a series of nine competitive games in three competitions without a defeat for the Iron since mid-May.
The interim equalization by Kevin Behrens (70th) was ultimately useless.
After the yellow-red card for Paul Jaeckel (40th), Union fought for more than 50 minutes on the grass soaked by the constant rain - too big a mortgage.
After the false start in Group E of the new European Cup, a win must now be in the first home game against Maccabi Haifa in two weeks, so that the chance of getting into the knockout phase does not quickly lose sight of the field.
A good 3,000 Union fans and the no less enthusiastic Slavia supporters ensured an atmosphere worthy of the European Cup in the Sinobo Stadium.
“I think it's important that what we do is fun.
And we're all looking forward to it, ”said club boss Dirk Zingler at Nitro before kick-off about the still good Union mood.
Palpation was therefore not the trend.
And Union could quickly take the hosts by surprise.
Genki Haraguchi and Max Kruse (3rd) lacked the necessary precision in the end in the best position.
Slavia quickly found its way back to normal.
Berlin goalkeeper Andreas Luthe had to intervene for the first time when Lukas Masopust shot (12th).
The early yellow cards against Jaeckel (6th) and Taiwo Awoniyi (15th) by the Portuguese referee Fabio Verissimo irritated the iron noticeably.
Suddenly the tension and concentration decreased.
And Prague punished this lack of international cleverness coldly.
Bah's long-range shot after a corner hit flat in the corner of the goal.
Now the Berliners ran behind in most of the duels.
And when Jaeckel had to foul tactically in midfield, the dismissal was inevitable.
Annoying: Shortly before, Kruse (31st) had finally made it into the Slavia penalty area on his own, but decided to play Awoniyi, who slipped past the ball.
When outnumbered, even more defensive order was required. Nevertheless, Union still had opportunities for quick counterattacks. Rani Khedira (55th) shot past the goal. Awoniyi (58th) was offside for a goal and refused to admit it. Behrens then struck on a counterattack, but that didn't save the series of the Iron, because Slavia had the double answer from Kuchta and Schranz late.