(Bundesliga 2022/2023): Highlights Union Berlin - Werder Bremen

Union Berlin knew a win would almost certainly secure fourth on final day in Champions League football for the first time. Bremen and the league's top scorer Niklas Fulkrug on 16 goals was out to spoil the hosts and Urs Fischer's day. The first half lacked any real spark amid the sunshine and song of the Alte Fürsterei. Union were most threatening from set pieces, a story of their season. Kevin Behrens nearly finding Yannick Carver with this flick on. The game had little jeopardy for Bremen. Their Bundesliga safety secured the weekend before with a draw against Köln. They defended well but offered little in attack. However Milos Veljkovic managed to get an effort away before the break, a comfortable save for Frederik Krono. At halftime Freiburg were leading at Eintracht Frankfurt, meaning as things stood Union were missing out. But the team with the only unbeaten home record in the league ramped things up into the second half. Five minutes after the restart Jérôme Rousillon went in search of his first Union goal. Jerzy Pavlenka was equal to the fierce drive. Starting the day level on points with Freiburg and a better goal difference, they just needed that decisive goal to go above them again in the live league table. Were it not for Marvin Dursch on the goal line, Danilo Duki would have been the match winning hero. But one would come to the rescue and an unlikely hero in fact. With nine minutes to go and staying calm, Union found their way through. Gerardo Becker with the hard work, Sven Mikkel with the smart layoff and Rani Khedira with the composure and quality to guide the first time effort in off the post to send the Alta Fosterai into wild celebrations. Four years to the day since first securing promotion to the Bundesliga, Union claimed a place in the Champions League. A unique and extraordinary story continues.