Tim Skarke secured a dramatic 3-3 draw for Union Berlin against Eintracht Frankfurt with a spectacular backheel goal in stoppage time. The match on Saturday at the Alte Försterei marked the Bundesliga debut of new Union coach Mauro Lustrinelli and produced six goals. According to the Sportschau report, Frankfurt led for long periods, but the Berliners never gave up.
How did the chaotic match unfold?
Union started furiously and took an early lead through new signing Emmanuel Latte Lath in the third minute. The joy was short-lived, as Younes Ebnoutalib turned the game around for Frankfurt with goals in the 10th and 11th minutes. The visitors then controlled the game and had nearly 60 percent possession in the first half. Ebnoutalib seemed to seal the win for Frankfurt with his third goal in the 67th minute. Union, who finished the 2025 season in 11th place in the Bundesliga, showed character. Leopold Querfeld pulled one back in the 79th minute before Skarke scored the celebrated equalizer in the second minute of added time.
What did new coach Lustrinelli say?
The Swiss Mauro Lustrinelli took over in the summer and experienced an emotional rollercoaster in his first competitive match in charge. "The team spirit pleased me incredibly today," Lustrinelli said after the match. "Our organization didn't quite function yet." His team made offensive statements from the start with new signings Zeno van den Bosch, Michel Aebischer and goalscorer Latte Lath. Aebischer received a yellow card and narrowly avoided a second after a foul on Frankfurt goalkeeper Noah Atubolu.
What role did the new signings play?
Both teams presented new faces in their starting lineups. Alongside the Berliners, Frankfurt also relied on new players. Goalkeeper Noah Atubolu, aged 24 and on loan from Freiburg shortly before the match, stood between the posts. In defence, Keita Kosugi and Raphael Onyedika made their debuts. A special story was written by Jeremiaha Maluze, who was originally intended for the second team but made his Bundesliga debut alongside captain Robin Koch. For Union, however, the injury list is long, with Robert Skov, Aljoscha Kemlein, Livan Burcu, Frederik Ronnow, Lucas Tousart and Diogo Leite currently sidelined, making rotation difficult.
What's next for both teams?
Union Berlin must quickly prepare for the next tough match. On Saturday afternoon at 15:30, they travel to face Bayer Leverkusen, who lost their season opener against Elversberg. The complete schedule for the upcoming matches can be found on our fixtures page. Eintracht Frankfurt host FC Augsburg on Sunday evening at 17:30. Before these matches take place, the transfer window closes on Tuesday. Disagreements between coach Adi Hütter and sporting director Markus Krösche are also reported from Frankfurt. Hütter commented on the draw: "We had the game under control for 75 minutes. But you have to give Union a compliment." For Union, after Leverkusen comes a break before the home match against RB Leipzig, currently fourth in the table, on November 21st. The current squad composition can be tracked on our squad page.
