Goals from Stefan Mugosa and Clemens Fandrich lifted Erzgebirge Aue off the bottom of the 2.Bundesliga with a magnificent performance against FC Union Berlin.
Heading into the game, Aue were on level points with VfR Aalen and St. Pauli, needing a win to lift them out of the relegation zone.
Mugosa gave Aue the lead midway through the first half with a tidy finish past Daniel Haas, who couldn’t get down quick enough to deny the Aue striker.
Fifteen minutes into the second half and Fandrich doubled Aue’s lead before Martin Kobylański pulled a goal back just two minutes later, as FC Union looked to clinch a point.
The result means Aue now climb into the relegation play-offs with two games remaining, while FC Union have secured a mid-table position.
Both sides won recorded a victory last time and which resulted in FC Union’s Norbert Düwel naming an unchanged lineup following their 0-3 victory over 1860 München. Tomislav Stipić’s men recorded a 3-1 win against promotion chasing Karlsruher SC which also led to him naming the same starting XI.
The hosts almost took the lead in the opening two minutes after early pressure won FC Union a corner. Taken by Fabian Schönheim, the German found Toni Leistner with the resulting header from the centre of the area was just a bit too high.
Björn Jopek almost gave FC Union the lead after 22 minutes but it was Mugosa who found the back of the net for Aue moments later. The 23-year old took control of the ball, before turning and toe-poking the ball past Haas from 15-yards.
The Montenegrin then almost doubled Aue’s lead 10 minutes later when he was played through by Schönfield, but the forward was denied by Haas.
Energetic Bobby Wood ran the show for Aue in the first half, and Stipić will be disappointed his side could only muster up a 1-0 lead going into the break.
Aue came out the better side, forcing Haas into a save just two minutes into the second half. Sebastian Hertner’s left footed shot from distance was caught by the Union ‘keeper.
Düwel brought on Bajram Nebihi and loanee signing, Kobylański in a bid to change the game with 30 minutes left to play.
However it was Fandrich who doubled the visitor’s lead as Aue looked to secure all three points. The midfielder, on loan from RB Leipzig found the bottom corner after 62 minutes. Substitute Kobylański halved Aue’s lead with a well-executed finish from just outside the box just two minutes later.
Kobylański then had the chance to level the tie after 66 minutes but his right-footed effort was deflected out for a corner, as FC Union looked to pile on the pressure in search for an equaliser.
Michael Parensen came close to earning FC Union a point but his shot sailed just wide of the left post. FC Union were then looking the better side when Maximilian Thiel forced a save from Martin Männel with 15 minutes left to play.
Leistner and Nebihi then both came close to scoring for FC Union within a minute of each other after a scramble in the area, before Thiel fired his shot wide.
The result now confirms that FC Union will finish in mid-table whilst Aue climb out of the relegation place, with Kaiserslautern and Heidenheim still left to play, as they look to avoid relegation.