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Union and Grasshopper Zürich play out 3-3 draw

Taz hits two:

Wed, 05. September 2018
Union and Grasshopper Zürich play out 3-3 draw

1. FC Union Berlin youngster Berkan Taz scored twice as the Köpenick club held Grasshopper Zürich to a 3-3 draw at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.

Taz and Kenny Prince Redondo opened the scoring, but Marco Djuricin scored a double to level the scores for half time. Julien Ngoy put the Swiss Super League club in front before Taz scored a free kick with 10 minutes to go.

1. FC Union Berlin: Busk; Trimmel (Müller 45), Schößwendter, Parensen (Schönheim 73), Alimler (Reichel 45); Schmiedebach (Prömel 45), Zejnullahu, Kroos; Redondo (Zulj 45 (Hedlund 63)), Gogia, Taz

Grasshopper Zürich: Hunn (Hadzikic 45); Lavanchy, Doumbia, Nathan (Diani 37), Kastrati; Taipi (Bajrami 73), Kamber, Holzhauser; Djuricin (Myangi 73), Pinga, Ngoy

Attendance: 1512

Fischer’s squad was missing the services of Marcel Hartel (Germany U21), Julian Ryerson (Norway U21) and Lennard Maloney (USA U20), who were named in their respective national team squads for this international break. There was a first-team debut from the beginning for 18-year-old Berkan Alimler, whilst Berkan Taz was given the nod in attack. Taz was quick to stamp his mark on the game, scoring the first after 15 minutes. The 19-year-old buried from close range after great work from Akaki Gogia on the right wing. Six minutes later, Union’s lead was doubled as captain Christopher Trimmel picked out the run of Kenny Prince Redondo and the winger finished off emphatically.

However, Thorsten Fink’s side would end the half all square through a double from Austrian striker Marco Djuricin. The 25-year-old, with one Swiss league goal to his name this term, showed his killer instinct with two ruthless finishes to bring the score level at half time.

The home side made four changes for the start of the second period — Trimmel, Schmiedebach, Alimler and Redondo replaced by Joris Müller, Prömel, Zulj and Reichel. Zulj's appearance was short-lived as he hobbled off to be replaced by Simon Hedlund. The second half was played at a much more pedestrian tempo than the first until Julien Ngoy broke the offside trap before tucking the ball under Busk to put the visitors in the lead.

Grasshopper Zürich had enough situations to put the game beyond doubt before Fischer's side found an extra gear with 20 minutes to go. Akaki Gogia turned his marker inside-out, but his left-foot shot could only bring out an easy save for sub goalkeeper Osman Hadzikic. The biggest cheer of the night was reserved for the 72nd minute when Fabian Schönheim was introduced in place of Michael Parensen — the defender ending a torrid time with injury at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. One more cheer was left for the 1512 supporters inside the ground when Taz scored his second, a sumptuous finish from a free kick around 25 yards from goal to end the night on a high note.

1. FC Union Berlin will take a breather over the international weekend before the squad gets back into league-mode with MSV Duisburg the visitors to Köpenick on Friday September 14.