Union Berlin 2-3 Braga: Andre Castro scores stoppage-time winner for 10-man visitors

Union Berlin 2-3 Braga: Andre Castro scores stoppage-time winner for 10-man visitors

Andre Castro’s 94th-minute strike was his first goal this season

Andre Castro scored in stoppage time to deliver a dramatic comeback win for 10-man Braga at Union Berlin in the Champions League.

The game was finely poised at 2-2 when Castro, 35, came off the bench in 86th minute and slammed home from the edge of the box in the fourth minute of added time.

Braga had trailed 2-0 after 37 minutes with Union forward Sheraldo Becker scoring both for the German club.

Sikou Niakate halved the deficit shortly before half time and Bruma equalised for Union six minutes after the restart with a superb finish.

Castro capped a stunning finale from the Portuguese side as he struck firmly beyond a despairing Frederik Ronnow.

Braga coach Artur Jorge praised the “emotional strength” of his team for the turnaround, but said: “The victory makes me very happy, but it doesn’t take my feet off the ground.

“We have to have balance, and we know that we are in a group with Napoli and Real Madrid.”

It is the second successive game Union Berlin have seen a draw turn into a Champions League defeat this season, having lost 1-0 at Real Madrid when Jude Bellingham scored in the 94th minute.

Union, featuring in their first-ever Champions League campaign, sit bottom of Group C without a point, while Braga are third and level on points with Napoli.

The defeat was further compounded by the fact Union were unable to play at their regular Stadion An der Alten Forsterei, but host the match at the home of rivals Hertha Berlin.

Fans protested at the Olympiastadion by unfurling a banner with a message to Uefa.

Union Berlin fans protest at the Olympiastadion
Union Berlin fans displayed a banner prior to kick off

Line-ups

Union Berlin

Formation 5-3-2

  • 1Rønnow
  • 18JuranovicBooked at 90mins
  • 5Doekhi
  • 23BonucciBooked at 13mins
  • 4Monteiro Pinto LeiteBooked at 54mins
  • 6GosensSubstituted forRoussillonat 86′minutes
  • 29TousartSubstituted forLaïdouniat 63′minutes
  • 33Král
  • 19HabererSubstituted forAaronsonat 81′minutes
  • 27Becker
  • 17BehrensSubstituted forVollandat 63′minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Jaeckel
  • 7Aaronson
  • 10Volland
  • 20Laïdouni
  • 26Roussillon
  • 28Trimmel
  • 36Kemlein
  • 37Schwolow
  • 39Stein

Sporting Braga

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Lima Magalhães
  • 17MendesSubstituted forde Castro Pereiraat 86′minutes
  • 5Saatçi
  • 4Niakaté
  • 26BorjaSubstituted forMarínat 74′minutes
  • 16ZalazarBooked at 72minsSubstituted forJoão Moutinhoat 73′minutes
  • 8Al Musrati
  • 14DjalóSubstituted forRuizat 83′minutes
  • 21Ricardo HortaBooked at 13minsSubstituted forCarvalho Vieiraat 83′minutes
  • 7Tué Na Bangna
  • 23BanzaBooked at 46mins

Substitutes

  • 6José Fonte
  • 9Ruiz
  • 10Luz Horta
  • 12de Sá
  • 15Rodrigues de Oliveira
  • 18Carvalho Vieira
  • 19Marín
  • 20Rony Lopes
  • 22Afonso Fernandes
  • 28João Moutinho
  • 88de Castro Pereira
  • 91Hornícek

Referee:
Srdjan Jovanovic

Attendance:
73,445

Live Text

Source link