Steffen Baumgart reflects on Andrej Ilic’s breakthrough: “Being an Union Berlin striker isn’t easy.” | OneFootball

A surprise Bundesliga victory for FC Union Berlin yesterday gave the capital city’s Köpenick side hope of permanently removing themselves from the 2024/25 relegation race. The three points bagged enabled Steffen Baumgart’s Eisernen to climb up to 13th place in the table on 30 points. Generally speaking, 35 points earned in a Bundesliga campaign translates to safety. With seven matchdays remaining, this goal is absolutely within reach.

Much went right for Union on Sunday. For starters, squad captain Rani Khedira managed to record his first goal of the season. The fledgling attack itself received a huge boost in that someone other than team-leading goal scorer Benedict Hollerbach registered a goal. Union’s striker corps remains a genuine source of embarrassment.

Strikers Kevin Volland, Tim Skarke, and Ivan Prtajin have not scored a single goal all season. Winter signing Marin Ljubicic notched a tally in his first appearance off the bench for Union, but has not scored in five relief appearances and one start since. Hollerbach and Lille OSC loanee Andrej Illic are the only other forwards to have scored.

As it turned out on Sunday, Ilic netted the game-winning goal against the Breisgauer. Baumgart has been sticking with the Serbian youth international lately despite the fact that Ilic only scored once from open play this season. Rarely used under previous head coach Bo Svennson, Illic scored a goal off the bench under Baumgart on matchday 21.

After earning his first goal in just his third appearance for his loan club, Ilic earned his first Union start the subsequent week and converted a penalty. The 24-year-old has started five of six league fixtures since. Reviews have not been great. A splendidly converted header might nevertheless now signal an upturn. Baumgart found himself pleased to discuss his player at the post match press conference.

“Being a striker at Union isn’t that easy, because you have to do a lot of defensive work and make the most of the few chances you get,” Baumgart said. “His goal was deserved if you’ve watched him in the last few games.

“The way he throws himself into it up front, the way he does it,” Baumgart continued. “He’s always outnumbered, in my view he’s often fouled and the ref doesn’t call it, then he gets every foul called against him. But he just keeps going.”

GGFN | Peter Weis