BERLIN (Interstat) — Union Berlin W opened its Frauen Bundesliga season with a 2-1 comeback victory over Koeln W on Friday, overcoming an early deficit to secure three points at Stadion An der Alten Försterei.

The match, played on Feb. 20, 2026, saw the visiting Koeln side strike first but fail to hold on, as Union Berlin responded with two second-half goals to flip the script. The result immediately separated the two clubs in the early league table, with Union Berlin improving to 1-0-0 in Bundesliga play while Koeln dropped to 0-0-1.

Koeln’s Dina Orschmann opened the scoring in the 31st minute, finishing a play to give the visitors a surprising lead. The goal seemed to ignite a physical contest, as Koeln’s Laura Vogt received a yellow card just two minutes later. The first half concluded with Koeln holding a 1-0 advantage, though not before Lisa Heiseler of Koeln was booked in first-half stoppage time.

Union Berlin emerged from halftime with increased pressure and found its equalizer in the 67th minute. Forward Pauline Bremer, a key offseason acquisition, delivered the crucial goal to level the score at 1-1. The momentum shifted decisively in Union’s favor just ten minutes later. In the 77th minute, Eileen Campbell completed the turnaround, scoring what proved to be the game-winning goal to send the home supporters into celebration.

The match was a tense and often fractious affair, reflected in a total of eight yellow cards issued by the officiating crew. Following the goals, discipline frayed further. Orschmann, Koeln’s goalscorer, received a yellow in the 69th minute. Union Berlin’s Tanja Pawollek was booked in the 83rd minute as her team worked to protect its lead. The tension boiled over in second-half stoppage time, with two quick cautions: one for Koeln’s Antonia Halverkamps in the 95th minute and another for Union Berlin’s Lia Kamber just a minute later.

The final score defied the pre-match projections from Interstat, whose game simulator had predicted a more lopsided 4-1 victory for Union Berlin. The organization’s ELO rating system had also given the home side a 74.6 percent probability of winning, a forecast Union Berlin ultimately fulfilled, albeit by a narrower margin.

With the victory, Union Berlin W begins its campaign with a perfect record across all competitions, now 1-0-0 overall. Koeln W, meanwhile, searches for its first positive result of the season, having also started 0-0-1 in all matches. The teams will look to build on this result when the Frauen Bundesliga resumes next weekend.