Union’s Cup-Madness Against HSV: Finally in the Quarterfinals

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Union’s Cup-Madness Against HSV: Finally in the Quarterfinals.

4:3 after extra time – that was the final score in the match in which Union made history. After falling 0:2 behind at halftime, the Berlin women kept their composure, caught up with HSV during the game and prevailed after 113 minutes. As a result, 1. FC Union Berlin will appear in the DFB Cup women’s quarterfinals for the first time.

The late goals were especially valuable because Union initially fell well behind. HSV took the lead through Camilla Linberg in the 10th minute and Paulina Bartz in the 33rd minute. “We are very happy that we won this game. The match again had a lot of highlights, and HSV also played very well,” said Union coach Marie-Louise Eta after the game.

How Union Turned a 0:2 Deficit Into a Quarterfinal Berth

Jella Veit, Judit Pujols and Nele Bauereisen turned the deficit into a lead: Veit scored in the 68th minute, Pujols in the 72nd minute and Bauereisen in the 80th minute. Union had thereby restored the 3:2 lead.

However, HSV equalized in stoppage time at the end of regular playing time. Lotta Wrede scored in the 90+4th minute to make it 3:3. Union then moved ahead again: In the 100th minute, captain Samantha Steuerwald received the yellow-red card, and shortly afterward Bauereisen scored again in the 113th minute to seal the final score.

The game was played in front of 3,213 spectators. Afterward, the Union women ran joyfully toward the 300 traveling fans. This support was not merely a nice detail on the evening: after the victory, the Berlin women knew they had celebrated their cup appearance together with a large group from Berlin.

The League Match Had Already Seen Union Come Back Twice

The cup appearance followed directly on from the Bundesliga meeting between the same teams. A week earlier, Union and HSV had drawn 4:4. Even then, Union had initially fallen behind and had to overturn deficits of 0:2, 1:3 and 3:4.

The cup match was therefore by no means an easy ride for Union. HSV led 2:0 after a good first half-hour and showed afterward that it could keep the game open. “There was everything in this game. The standard of play had improved considerably compared with the last meeting, and it was more of a game between equals,” said Bauereisen, whose two goals helped decide the match.

Union coach Eta attributed the success to a collective performance: “It was an incredible team performance. The girls left everything on the pitch, and that is why we were able to go through. That is ultimately what matters in the cup.” Precisely because Union had already come back several times in the league match, the second great comeback within a week was all the more remarkable.

€58,711 for the First-Ever Appearance in the Last Eight

The historic success also has a sporting-political and financial side. Union receives a bonus of €58,711 for reaching the quarterfinals. Overall, the Berlin women have earned just under €103,000 from the DFB Cup this season.

Until the draw, it remains unclear who Union will face in the quarterfinals and where the match will take place. Only the date is certain: The game will be played in spring on 10 or 11 March. Until then, Union’s attention will first turn to the Bundesliga. At 14:00 this Sunday, the team hosts TSG Hoffenheim. The Union women have been unbeaten for six competitive matches.

A Cup Evening With a Signal for the Next Task

With the 4:3 cup win against HSV, Union did not merely reach an additional round, but crossed a threshold the club had never crossed before. The victory fits into a run that also includes the 4:4 draw in the Bundesliga: Union’s women had fallen well behind against HSV twice and found an answer on each occasion.

The next test comes as early as Sunday. After six competitive matches without defeat, Hoffenheim await a task that did not, like the duel with HSV, begin with Union trailing 0:2. In contrast to the DFB Cup, Sunday’s home game therefore offers a second chance to avoid ending an unusual cup week with a disappointing second performance.