Jena, July 12, 2026 – FC Carl Zeiss Jena secured a prestigious home victory on Sunday as part of their official season opener. The Thuringian side defeated first-division club Union Berlin 2-0 in front of a home crowd, though they face a defensive injury setback following the match.
- Event: Season-opening friendly match
- Matchup: FC Carl Zeiss Jena vs. 1. FC Union Berlin
- Result: 2-0 (1-0)
- Attendance: 7,015 at Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld
- Goalscorers: 1-0 Elias Löder (12′), 2-0 Kevin Lankford (83′)
Coach Marco Grote’s team started boldly in front of 7,015 spectators at the Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld. In the 3rd minute, Jena goalkeeper Marius Liesegang prevented an early deficit with a strong foot save against Aljoscha Kemlein. Just a few minutes later, Jena was rewarded for their aggressive pressing: following an error in Berlin’s build-up play, new signing Elias Löder intercepted the ball and confidently scored from eight meters out in the 12th minute. The 26-year-old striker had returned to the Saale from third-division club SSV Ulm at the end of June.
Jena remained active throughout the remainder of the first half. In particular, 18-year-old Emilio Munser, promoted from the U19 squad, impressed with courageous offensive actions. Shortly before the halftime whistle, goalkeeper Liesegang proved his class again by parrying a dangerous direct shot from Oliver Burke (39′) at the near post.
Union pushes after the break – Lankford decides the match
After the interval, Grote rotated the squad, bringing on Til Härting for Liesegang in goal. Union Berlin increasingly took control and pushed for an equalizer. In the 67th minute, Härting prevented a 1-1 scoreline following a cleverly executed free kick by the visitors. Jena only managed to relieve the pressure in the final phase of the match.
In the 83rd minute, Kevin Lankford secured the win when he fired a shot from a left-of-center position, burying the ball in the near corner for a 2-0 lead. You can read more about the previous encounter at Jena beats Union Berlin.
The successful friendly was overshadowed by an incident shortly before the end of the match. Center-back Maxim Hessel suffered a serious knee injury during a challenge and had to be treated immediately on the pitch. A precise diagnosis of the knee injury is still pending.
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Season opening: Carl Zeiss Jena defeats Union Berlin – Hessel injured
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