Damage in the Box!: SC UNION 06 BERLIN (Poststadion)

Tuesday 18th May 2011
Berlin Bezirksliga
SC Union 06 Berlin 2-1 Weißenseer FC
Attendance: 35 (h/c)

SC Union are one of two clubs that were formed from the original ironworks team SC Olympia 06 Oberschöneweide, who were based in the East of the city.

This club was a reasonably successful outfit until things came to a head when they reached the regional league finals in 1950. The team was refused permission to travel by the Soviet authorities, so the team fled to the West to take part in these finals and then became known as Sport-Club Union 06 Berlin.

This club was successful until the building of the Berlin Wall, actually playing in front of healthy crowds at the Olympiastadion, but the decline was such that today the club plays in the regional Berlin Bezirksliga (step 8) in front of paltry clouds (today was no exception as I counted 35 hardy souls present). The club that remained in the East eventually became known as 1.FC Union and are now an established Bundesliga 2 side.

SC Union play their home games at the Poststadion, which is also an athletics stadium and is only a 15 minute walk from the main Berlin Hbf. This evening was their penultimate home game of the season, where they are mid-table, and they were playing bottom of the table Weißenseer FC.

Weißenseer took the lead after 11 minutes when Grunow scored direct from a corner. ‘The Eisern’ were level after 28 minutes when Albers fired a shot from 20 yards which the ‘keeper let squirm away from his grasp.

There was plenty of neat football played but both teams wasted loads of chances. The homesters got the winner two minutes from time when a corner fell to Yüksek Schober in the six-yard box and he made no mistake, firing through the ‘keepers legs.

An enjoyable evening and a bonus game for me, as I only found out about this on the Friday before I departed. Admission was 3 euros, but no programme was produced, however they do usually issue and were happy to give me some copies from earlier in this season.