Union Players in International Action
A Look at the Women Representing Their Countries
During the recent international break, six 1. FC Union Berlin players were in action for their countries, a new club record. While all faced tough tasks, some even came up against their own team-mates.
The players
Fatma Sakar played two Nations League games for the Turkish national team. She played the full 90 minutes in the first game against Ireland in Dublin, which ended in a 1-0 defeat, while in the second game in Istanbul a few days later, Türkiye beat the Greek national team 1-0, with her club colleagues Eleni Markou and Athanasia Moraitou both on the pitch. Sakar played the full 90 minutes in this game.
Sakar was not the only team-mate Eleni Moraitou and Athanasia Markou would face in the Nations League. In Greece's first game they lost 2-1 against Korina Janez's Slovenia in Iraklio, despite the Ethniki taking the lead. Markou played the whole game, while Moraitou was substituted after 87 minutes. Markou then played the whole game again against Türkiye, while Moraitou left the field after 70 minutes.
Korina Janez came on as a substitute in Slovenia's 2-1 win over Greece after 77 minutes. Then, in their second Nations League game against Ireland, Slovenia won comfortably 4-0 in Koper and now lead Group 2 of League B with six points from two games. Janez came on as a substitute after 71 minutes.
Elli Seiro played in a Finnish U23 national team match against Portugal's U23 team and scored the opening goal for her team. The game in Coimbra ended in a 1-1 draw. Seiro was substituted after 74 minutes.
Her compatriot Ida Heikkinen was also in Portugal with the Finnish U19 national team. In the first test match against Portugal, Finland lost 0-3. Heikkinen was in the starting line-up and was substituted after 73 minutes. In the second game against Wales, Finland won 3-0, with Heikkinen coming on as a substitute in the second half.
