Marie-Louise Eta secured her first-ever Bundesliga victory as head coach, leading Union Berlin to a dramatic win over Mainz with two late goals. In a match that started quietly but ended with fireworks, the visitors showed resilience and composure to claim all three points on a tense Sunday evening.

The first half lacked the usual Bundesliga drama, but not without its moments. A brief delay of nearly ten minutes occurred when traveling fans threw tennis balls onto the pitch, protesting the rare late timeslot—a scheduling choice that often leaves away supporters stranded until the early hours of Monday. Despite the disruption, Union Berlin found their rhythm, and it was Andrej Ilić who broke the deadlock in the 38th minute. The Serbian striker, who finished last season in strong form, headed home from Aljoscha Kemlein's corner delivery, marking his tenth goal of the campaign.

Union's early momentum was tested by an enforced substitution after Danny da Costa struggled through pain for ten minutes before being replaced. However, goalkeeper Carl Klaus stepped up in a big way, making his Bundesliga debut after Frederik Rönnow's injury in the previous away match at Leipzig. The 32-year-old backup keeper kept Union ahead just before halftime with a crucial close-range save to deny the lively Kaishū Sano.

The second half erupted into life just three minutes after the restart. Former Union Berlin star Sheraldo Becker, now with Mainz, delivered a smart finish from Paul Nebel's right-wing cross, tying the game. Becker initially refrained from celebrating against his old club, before breaking into a cheeky dance as play resumed. The momentum shifted further ten minutes later when Phillip Tietz thought he had given Mainz the lead with a similarly difficult finish, only for the goal to be ruled out for a tight offside call. The match suddenly came alive, with both goalkeepers making decent saves amid the chaos, setting the stage for Union's late heroics.