Marie-Louise Eta hails Union Berlin display as Darmstadt win boosts survival bid
Union were without head coach Nenad Bjelica as he served a three-game ban after shoving Bayern Munich forward Leroy Sane in the face
Marie-Louise Eta praised Union Berlin’s display in their victory against Darmstadt after the history-making assistant coach stood in for media duties on Sunday.
Union beat relegation rivals Darmstadt 1-0 to move five points clear of the Bundesliga’s bottom three in the absence of suspended first-team coach Nenad Bjelica, who started a three-match ban after shoving Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane on Wednesday.
Danijel Jumic took charge in Bjelica’s stead, with fellow assistant Eta – who this season has become the first female coach to be actively involved at a men’s team in Bundesliga and Champions League history – assisting him on the sideline and handling the post-match press conference.
“We’re delighted that we were able to put in such a good performance,” she said.
“We did what we set out to do on the pitch.”
The 32-year-old former Germany youth international was named as an assistant first-team coach at the capital club earlier this season.
A Women’s Champions League winner with Turbine Potsdam in 2010, Eta had previously worked in the youth set-up at Union.