Union Berlin began life under new interim coach Marie-Louise Eta with a 2–1 home defeat to VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga.
Eta, appointed last week following the dismissal of Steffen Baumgart, became the first woman to take charge of a Bundesliga side. She is set to remain in charge of the men’s team until the end of the season before moving to the club’s women’s side.
Wolfsburg struck early, with Patrick Wimmer opening the scoring in the 11th minute. The visitors doubled their advantage shortly after the interval through Dzenan Pejcinovic, leaving Union with a mountain to climb.
Despite pushing forward late on, the hosts could only manage a consolation goal through Oliver Burke in the 86th minute.
Eta’s appointment marks a historic moment in German football, having previously become the Bundesliga’s first female assistant coach with Union in 2023. However, her promotion has also drawn derogatory comments on social media, which the club has publicly condemned.
The defeat leaves Union still searching for momentum as they battle to stabilise their season. For Eta, attention will now turn to securing results quickly as she looks to make an impact during her interim spell.
