Braga overturned a 2-0 deficit to secure an incredible 3-2 victory over Union Berlin in the UEFA Champions League.
The German club were well on top at the Olympiastadion, Sheraldo Becker continually causing havoc with the speedster scoring in the 30th and 37th minutes.
Artur Jorge’s side pulled back a goal on the stroke of half-time when Ricardo Horta’s saved shot was turned home by Sikou Niakaté.
Bruma stepped up with a sensational strike in the 51st minute before both teams went full throttle to secure all three points.
Brenden Aaronson missed a golden chance in added time with Union paying the price, André Castro the unlikely hero when he drilled the ball into the bottom corner with the last kick of the game.
All Union
Braga were issued an early warning when Robin Gosens put the ball into the net via Serdar Saatci, the goal ruled out after Sheraldo Becker had strayed narrowly offside in the buildup.
Leonardo Bonucci was booked for a hard foul on Simon Banza despite getting plenty of purchase on the ball, Ricardo Horta picking up a caution of his own for protesting the ferocity of the challenge.
Frederik Rönnow punched away Rodrigo Zalazar’s free kick, but Braga were looking second best in Berlin with the action soon returning to the other end of the pitch.
A horror pass from Joe Mendes allowed Kevin Behrens to steal the ball and speed past Saatci, Sikou Niakaté doing well to get back and prevent a goalscoring opportunity.
It’s the Sheraldo Becker show
Becker forced a save from Mateus in the 27th minute but it wouldn’t be long before the Suriname international took over the contest.
Braga were on the attack but a loose pass from Zalazar saw Union spring a trademark counter-attack from which they took a deserved lead. Becker raced onto Alex Král’s through ball and sized up his options before putting the ball straight through Mateus.
The visitors had their first meaningful opportunity when Bruma shot straight at Rönnow, but once again it was a brief respite with the German club extending their lead in the 37th minute.
Lucas Tousart headed Danilho Doekhi’s long ball past Saatchi and straight into the path of Becker, the striker showing composure to pick his spot and stroke the ball past Mateus.
Braga bounce back
Artur Jorge was clearly worried on the touchline, his side continually getting carved up down both wings with his full-backs brutally exposed. He would have been thrilled when his side got back into the contest on the stroke of half-time.
A corner was cleared to Ricardo Horta whose low drive through traffic was palmed away by Rönnow, Sikou Niakaté fastest to react and rewarded with an open net.
Braga maintained the momentum and equalised six minutes after the restart, a well worked corner routine catching the hosts half asleep.
Zalazar’s deep delivery found Ricardo Horta, the playmaker laying the ball back to Bruma who unleashed a spectacular curling shot that no goalkeeper in the world would have had any hope of saving.
Braga began to boss the contest in Berlin as Horta forced a save from Rönnow. Urs Fischer tried to turn the tide by bringing on Aïssa Laïdouni and Kevin Volland for Tousart and Behrens, the switches doing the trick as his side regained the initiative.
Game on!
Union had a glorious opportunity to regain the lead in the 70th minute when Becker turned provider from the left wing, Volland taking advantage of Niakaté’s tumble but firing straight into Mateus’ scrotum which saw the keeper require some time to recover.
Zalazar was booked for a high shot on Josip Juranovic that was borderline red, the midfielder immediately replaced by João Moutinho. Cristián Borja then made way for Adrián Marín.
Neither team were content to settle for a draw which saw the game open up into an exciting contest. Becker shot into the side netting with another effort headed away by Niakaté, Banza seeing his attempt blocked at the other end.
Brenden Aaronson replaced Janik Haberer before Niakaté bailed out Joe Mendes once again. The relentless nature of the game saw an exhausted Horta and Djaló make way for Vitor Carvalho and Abel Ruiz.
Fischer had his head in his hands when his side butchered a presentable chance to regain the lead in the 86th minute. Braga’s defence failed to deal with a regulation cross into the box, Aaronson heading wide from point blank range.
Jérôme Roussillon replaced Gosens while Jorge went for a wild card, André Castro coming on for Mendes.
There was plenty of drama to come in added time, Alex Král’s deflected shot tipped wide by Matheus before an unlikely hero stepped up to the plate for the Portuguese club.
Ruiz did well to hold the ball up and give it to Bruma, the winger laying it into the path of Castro who slammed it into the bottom corner, Jorge and everyone involved with Braga going ballistic in Berlin.
Analysis
It was one of the best games of football in my recent memory, an unlikely win for Braga who were second best for the opening 40 minutes. Their inability to keep clean sheets remains a problem, but winning in this manner will be a big confidence builder.
Bruma’s goal was a peach and Castro scoring the winning goal seconds before the final whistle was simply incredible. The 35-year-old must have known his minutes would be limited this season, so huge credit goes to the veteran and Artur Jorge for hitting the jackpot.
Sikou Niakaté was simply immense in Berlin, the centre-back scoring to get Braga back on track, making countless clearances, bailing out a nervous Joe Mendes on two occasions and largely standing firm when his defensive counterparts had average to below average performances.
The Malian international was a huge part of Braga’s success last season and is clearly Artur Jorge’s first choice central defender.
Union Berlin came into the contest on the back of five straight defeats, scoring just one goal in that run, but many of those results were deceiving.
Urs Fischer got his tactics spot on in the first half and his side could have been more than 2-0 ahead. Conceding on the stroke of half-time was a huge turning point he nor many watching would have anticipated.
It’s going to be a bitter pill to swallow especially with a difficult trip to Dortmund on the menu before the international break.
Despite the recent setbacks, the German club have proved to be one of the best run clubs in football with a supporter base that is second to none.
Unwilling to host Champions League matches at their iconic 22,012 capacity Stadion An der Alten Försterei due to UEFA ‘requirements’, they packed 73,445 into the Olympiastadion, home to bitter crosstown rivals Hertha BSC.
Many of the supporters that built the Stadion An der Alten Försterei with their own hands called out UEFA for being primarily concerned with branding and marketing. They also took aim at the Olympiastadion, calling it a “tacky NAZI construction”.
This sort of fan activism is something Portuguese football supporters are unlikely to ever achieve.
"The #UCL tune doesn't merit admiration, but contempt"
— Matt Ford (@matt_4d) September 19, 2023
1. FC Union Berlin ultras have criticised UEFA for the requirements which have forced Union into a move to the Olympiastadion home games, but also question their own club's commitment to the values of their own ground. pic.twitter.com/vIQhAJz9Av
