FC Union Berlin has qualified for the Europa League following their narrow victory over Bochum on the last day of the 2021-21 Bundesliga season. They secured the European second-tier slot along with Freiburg after finishing 5th place on the log with 57 points. They have now ensured a back-to-back European qualification though they crashed out of this season’s Europa League Conference from the group stage, finishing behind Feyenoord and Slavia Prague.
Another opportunity avails itself for the Iron Ones as they will look forward to improving their stint in Europe next season.
Taiwo Awoniyi was involved in the club’s achievement this season following his 25 goals for Union Berlin. Taiwo scored a brace in Berlin’s 3-2 tough win over Bochum during the last match of the Bundesliga season. Promel Grischa set Union Berlin ahead just 5 minutes into the game. Twenty minutes later, Taiwo Awoniyi converted from a spot-kick to make it 2-0 for his club.
In the second half of the encounter, Bochum leveled the game to 2-2 just within 24 minutes. Not until the 88th minute when Taiwo struck to record a historical win for Union Berlin. The game ended 3-2 in favor of the Union Berlin.
Taiwo Awoniyi who joined Union Berlin last season on a permanent deal from Liverpool is the club’s top scorer this season and only Robert Lewandowski 35, Patrik Schick 24, Erling Haaland 22, Christopher Nkuku 20, and Anthony Modeste 20 have scored more Bundesliga goals than the Nigerian striker 15.
Awoniyi made his Super Eagles debut on October 7, 2021, during the AFCON qualifiers and was also part of the Eagles team that represented Nigeria in the last edition of the AFCON hosted this year in Cameroon.
