During the 32nd, or second-to-last, matchday of the Bundesliga, Union Berlin played a draw against 1. FC Köln, ending the fixture with a 2-2 scoreline in a battle for survival. The first half was characterized by an even exchange, with few clear chances for either side. Union Berlin had their best opportunity when Kemlein narrowly missed scoring after a turnover by Schwäbe during the build-up play. However, Köln capitalized on their chances better, taking the lead in the 33rd minute with a fine long-range effort from Marius Bülter.
After the break, Union Berlin pushed harder, but they couldn’t overcome Köln’s disciplined defense. The visiting side remained dangerous on the counter-attack and secured their second goal in the 61st minute via Said El Mala. Despite this lead, Köln struggled to manage the game’s momentum. Tom Rothe scored the crucial equalizer in the 73rd minute, and Livan Burcu solidified the draw in the 89th minute. Both teams remain in precarious positions: Union occupies 12th place, just ahead of Köln in 13th.
Meanwhile, in a parallel fixture, FC Bayern Munich faced 1. FC Heidenheim. The visiting side delivered an impressive performance, shocking the reigning Munich champions and earning a 3-3 draw. Bayern appeared to be treating the game like a non-league scrimmage with their depth squad, but the effort initially went wrong. In the 22nd minute, Heidenheim took the lead through Budu Zivzivadze, who scored from close range following a corner kick. Nine minutes later, Eren Dinkci doubled the advantage by sending a long ball past goalkeeper Urbig, finding the empty net to make it 2-0.
It wasn’t until moments before halftime that Bayern found their rhythm. Leon Goretzka scored an excellent free-kick in the 44th minute, making the score 1-2. After the halftime interval, Bayern increased their pressure and tied the game again in the 57th minute, with Goretzka powering home a knee-puck shot from inside the box after an Olise free-kick. The Munich giants were determined not to suffer any further embarrassment and made drastic substitutions, intending for players like Joshua Kimmich and Harry Kane to take control. However, it was Heidenheim’s Budu Zivzivadze who scored first in the 76th minute with a beautiful goal. Michael Olise ultimately sealed the draw for Bayern with a final touch in the 10th minute of stoppage time. This result is painful for Heidenheim, who desperately needed a win to secure their league standing on their own merits. They are now relegated unless both St. Pauli and Wolfsburg win on Sunday.
Other results from Saturday afternoon included Hoffenheim vs. Stuttgart (3-3), Bremen vs. Augsburg (1-3), and Frankfurt vs. Hamburg (1-2).
