European football: History-maker Eta’s first Union Berlin game ends in defeat

Marie-Louise Eta’s landmark first match as interim head coach of Union Berlin ended in a 2-1 Bundesliga defeat at home to relegation-threatened Wolfsburg.

The 34-year-old Eta made history on Saturday when she became the first woman to take charge of a men’s team in one of the top five European leagues.

Union Berlin, who turned to Eta for the rest of the season after sacking Steffen Baumgart last weekend, fell behind to an 11th-minute goal from Patrick Wimmer.

A Union Berlin fan holds a placard that reads: ‘Marie-Louise Eta Football Goddess UNVEU’ Photograph: Clemens Bilan/EPA

Second-bottom Wolfsburg doubled their advantage a minute into the second half when Christian Eriksen set up Dzenan Pejcinovic, before the former Nottingham Forest forward Oliver Burke halved the deficit late on.

Marie-Louise Etais hugged by club mascot Ritter Keule. Photograph: Maja Hitij/Getty Images

Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramaric scored two penalties, including one deep in second-half stoppage time, to give the hosts a 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund and gift the Bundesliga leaders, Bayern Munich, the chance to wrap up the title with a win or a draw over Stuttgart on Sunday.

Dortmund are on 64 points with four matches left, while Bayern are 12 points clear at the top and will win their second successive league crown.

Dortmund were on the back foot throughout the encounter with Kramaric converting a 42nd-minute penalty to give Hoffenheim a fully deserved lead. The visitors showed no signs of a comeback in the second half with Hoffenheim again in full control of the game, until Serhou Guirassy got the ball at the edge of the box and unleashed an unstoppable low drive to level.