Who scores first, wins! | OneFootball

The scenario: Ninth against second. Both teams are hard to beat. Union have gone undefeated in five Bundesliga games in a row for the first time this season, Borussia in 11. BVB have lost only one of their last 26 Bundesliga games across this season and last (away to Bayern on Matchday 7) and have 39 points after 18 matchdays – two more than at the same stage of their championship-winning 2011/12 season.

Home & away: Union have picked up 13 of their 24 points at their own stadium, celebrating victories against VfB Stuttgart, RB Leipzig and Borussia Mönchengladbach at the Alte Försterei and picking up a point against Bayern Munich, among others. BVB are now second in the away table, having won four of their nine away games so far (plus four draws and one defeat).

Head-to-head: BVB have won eight of the last ten encounters. There has never been a draw in this fixture in the top flight; BVB have played no other club so often without ever sharing the points (13 encounters to date). So far, the team that scored the first goal in the game has always won! Union celebrated their first ever Bundesliga win against Borussia (3-1 on 21 August 2019), but also suffered their heaviest Bundesliga defeat (6-0 in February 2022 in Dortmund). The Irons have lost nine times to Borussia Dortmund and have also conceded the most goals against BVB (34).

Statistics: Borussia Dortmund have scored three goals in each of their three Bundesliga matches in 2026 (3-3 in Frankfurt, 3-0 against Bremen and 3-2 against St. Pauli). Nine different players scored: Beier, Nmecha, Chukwuemeka, Schlotterbeck, Sabitzer, Guirassy, Brandt, Adeyemi and Can. Union Berlin have had more attempted headers on goal than any other team in the league (52) and don't leave themselves exposed: they have conceded just one goal from a counter-attack. Only one team has done better in this regard: BVB (who have yet to concede from a counter-attack).

Last season: 22,000 spectators, a sold-out stadium and an electric atmosphere at the Alte Försterei. A few days after a 7-1 rout of Celtic in the Champions League, Borussia tried hard but lacked ideas and punch, while Union were sharp and consistent, deservedly leading 2-0 at half-time thanks to goals from Kevin Vogt (26th minute, penalty) and Yorbe Vertessen (45th minute). After the break, BVB improved significantly and pulled one back after an hour through Julian Ryerson. Union then focused purely on defending their lead and managed to hold on to win 2-1.

Biggest away win: The first of only two away wins at Union to date was the most convincing. On Matchday 22 of the 2021/22 season, BVB took advantage of their first two chances in a hard-fought game, with Marco Reus (18/26) scoring both goals to give his side a 2-0 lead. In the second half, Union increased the pressure in front of the 10,000 spectators allowed to attend during the Coronavirus pandemic, but Raphael Guerreiro sealed the win with a third goal 20 minutes before the end.Compiled by Boris Rupert