Union Berlin beats 1. FC Köln 2-1; Becker and Knoche score to improve rankings.

Union Berlin have secured their place in the top half of the Bundesliga table after beating 1. FC Köln 2-1 at home on Saturday. The win moves Union into fourth place, with both sides having won just one game each so far this season.

The match was dominated by Union, who created numerous chances throughout the first half but could not find the breakthrough. However, they finally broke the deadlock through a header from substitute Maxime Gonalons in the second half. The goal was a testament to the resilience of the Union defence, which had kept a clean sheet for three consecutive matches.

Köln, meanwhile, were unable to capitalize on their numerical advantage as Union goalkeeper Robin Théorin made several key saves to keep his side in the contest. Despite being outplayed in the majority of the match, Köln managed to equalize late on through a penalty kick converted by striker Christian Atsu. However, the effort was too little, too late as Union held on to claim all three points.

With the result, Union have moved up to fourth place in the league table, with both RB Leipzig and Schalke 04 now in fifth and sixth respectively. The win also helped to boost Union's hopes of securing a Europa League spot, with the team currently sitting four points clear of the relegation zone.

In contrast, Köln remain rooted to the bottom of the table, with only two wins between them and the safety line. The defeat is likely to have a significant impact on the team's chances of survival, especially given their poor form in recent weeks.

Overall, it was a solid performance from Union against a strong opponent, and they will be looking forward to their next challenge when they travel to Hannover on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Köln will need to regroup quickly if they hope to avoid further defeats and secure their place in the top flight.