Union Berlin's Women Test Against Inter Milan – 5,000 Spectators at the Alte Försterei

Strong Crowd at the Alte Försterei

In terms of content, the focus for Union was above all on defensive stability. Coach Marie-Marie Louise Eta particularly praised the work off the ball after the game. „Es geht auch darum, das eigene Tor zu beschützen. Wir haben insgesamt heute nicht so viel zugelassen gegen eine wirklich gute Mannschaft, müssen bei eigenem Ballbesitz aber auch noch mehr Ruhe haben im letzten Drittel und noch konsequenter und überzeugender Richtung Tor werden“, sagte Eta.

Eta Sees Defense as the Foundation

In attack, the coach saw room for improvement. Union did combine well in phases, but lacked the necessary conviction in the decisive third of the pitch. Eta pointed out that possession alone does not yet create goal-scoring chances; especially against a controlled opponent like Inter Milan, Union must play out more patiently and finish attacks more clearly.

With the dress rehearsal against a top team like Inter Milan, preparation enters a decisive phase for the Union women. The competitive season begins in the coming weeks, in which the club wants to build on the positive performances from the previous season. Coach Eta sees the remaining training sessions above all as an opportunity to further sharpen the automatisms in transition play and improve finishing.

Inter as a Benchmark on the Summer Tour

For Inter Milan, the trip to Berlin was part of an intensive summer tour in which the club is testing itself against several European top teams. German women's football is also coming more into the focus of international attention through such duels. Union benefits from the added competitive edge that such a comparison provides.

Overall, Eta assessed the performance against the Italians as a decent but not entirely convincing test. The defense fulfilled its tasks, but the attack needs to follow suit. With a view to the coming weeks, the coach formulated the goal of calling up the approaches shown more consistently in the next matches.

The anticipation among fans was already palpable before kickoff. At the Alte Försterei, traditionally the heart of the Union family, the women's team's match once again took place in front of a large crowd. The club has been working for years to increase the visibility of women's football, and duels like the one against Inter Milan are considered an important building block of this strategy internally.