The Alte Försterei was bouncing for this one, indeed, it  almost felt pre-destined. Union got their first win of the season in their third Bundesliga game, just as the men did six years ago, just as they did last year.

In complete contrast to last week’s disastrous start in Leverkusen, Union took the lead within two minutes, as Naika Reissner ghosted in towards the back post, her pressure causing Lena Ostermeier to somehow deflect Lisa Heiseler’s shot into her own goal. It was the easiest of beginnings, and they looked refreshed taking the luck on offer, as well as the fight they had shown in coming back from that 2-0 deficit on Monday. Samantha Steuerwald snapped into a tackle on Laureta Elmazi straight after, coming away with the ball as cleanly as they come.

After only four minutes, however, Ramona Maier should have equalised, as she suddenly found herself open, and alone, with only Cara Bösl to beat. She put her shot too close to the Union keeper, but for the hosts it was a stark warning.

As the last of the true Women’s-only clubs in the top-flight, and a Bundesliga side for 20 years, Essen are known for their wiles as well as for their laudable academy, and they were never going to wilt so easily, even on a beautiful late Autum day such as this.   

The game was a whirlwind, and even the stadium announcer was certain that Sophie Weidauer had bagged her first competitive goal for the club when she rolled home after some excellent work by Dina Orschmann, drifting in from the right and cutting back across goal. Weidauer, however, was immediately called offside. It was as close as they come.

Still Essen attacked, still they found gaps in Union’s defence, and Steuerwald got a yellow card when she tripped Elmazi on the edge of the Union box after only ten minutes. Natasha Kowalski crashed the resulting free kick into the wall.

Union countered, and it took all Shari van Belle’s strength to bring Orschmann down halfway inside the Essen half.  Anna Weiß blazed a drive over the bar after 18 minutes, Weidauer tried to guide a volley from a corner with her instep just wide a minute later.

Weidauer and Campbell were linking up increasingly as the half wore on, and Kim Sindermann in the Essen goal saved shots from them both, set up  by  the other, the second a particularly nice move that saw Weidauer setting up her partner with a neat back-heel.

The game swung back and forth. Elmazi had another shot saved by Bösl, before it took the combined work of Steuerwald and Anna Aehling to stop Kowalski, after she had run onto a lovely diagonal ball from Maier. Weidauer put wide of the near post on the stroke of 30 minutes after another fine Campbell burst and cut-back. Campbell was an inch away from reaching Weiß’s deep, out-swinging free kick.

Union made it 2-0 on 38 minutes, with the pressure too much to take for the desperate Essen back line. First Weiß drew a superb diving save from Sindermann, but the ball only fell to Heiseler whose effort was also, somehow cleared off the line. This time, however, it fell to Sophie Weidauer who wouldn’t need another chance, and her shot rocketed into the roof of the net. This time it counted, she was off the mark.

Weidauer almost doubled her tally shortly afterwards, beating Sindermann, but her shot rolled just wide, after Reissner had torn up the middle of the pitch. Heiseler then appeared in the same position, and slid a wonderful, clever pass back, but Jacqueline Meißner slid in to dispossess Campbell as half time loomed.

Reissner continued her attacks up the left as soon as the second half started, tormenting Ostermeier, winning two corners in a row, but Weiß also had to show her own pace and strength, tracking Maier all the way back into the Union box.

Then came another let-off, after Campbell’s ill-advised backheel went to the wrong player.  Maier crossed hard across goal for van Belle to get a crucial touch on the fly, but only enough to see the ball kiss the outside of the post after it had zipped past a helpless Bösl. Union’s keeper held the next effort from van Belle gladly, taking it at chest height and putting both arms around it.

Campbell looked to make amends at the other end, but even she seemed caught a little unawares when the ball came to her on a plate, and she dragged her shot wide.

With Reissner still barrelling regularly forwards, wreaking havoc- Wildauer was a whisker away from reaching her cross/shot towards the back post with an hour played – Poese made her first two changes. Athanasia Moraitou and Antonia Halverkamps replaced Heiseler and Orschmann, like for like.

With Meißner on the ground in agony, and Moraitou stood waiting to take an Union free kick just inside the Essen half, Halverkamps and Aehling took to the shade of the main stand, to grab a drink and convene with Poese. But it was Schneider who would have the next decisive action, making a wonderful tackle on substitute Leonie Köpp, her timing immaculate as she made up acres as the Essen player readied herself to shoot.

With 10 minutes to play, Nele Bauereisen came on for the superb Reissner. Almost immediately Campbell was away again, this time set up by a n excellent piece of play by Halverkamps by her own corner flag, refusing to concede an inch. Vanessa Fürst almost had no coice but to bring Campbell down, getting a yellow card for her troubles.

Essen, too, never gave up, but when Bösl grabbed Kassandra Potsi’s left footed effort with only a couple of minutes to go, the sub trying to bend one past her into the top corner, it was all but up. Poese rounded things off, bringing on Katja Orschmann and the newest signing of all, Alma Aagaard.

There was still time for Sindermann to scramble Halverkamps’ shot off the line, but then, that was that. It had taken them three games last season to get their first win - including, of course, getting a point against Nürnberg.

History had repeated itself. The delighted looks on their tired faces as the players danced in front of a raucous Gegengerade told you all you needed to know.