Union Berlin finally ended their seven-game winless streak in the Bundesliga, edging past Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 at home thanks to a first-half strike from Rani Khedira.
The hosts came into the match under pressure, having not tasted victory since December’s 1-0 win over Cologne.
Steffen Baumgart’s side had slipped into the bottom half of the table, with the relegation zone only six points away.
Leverkusen, in contrast, arrived in confident form after collecting ten points from their previous four league matches, aiming to bolster their Champions League push.
Historically, they had dominated encounters with Union, losing only once in the previous 16 meetings.
From the outset, Union showed intent. Andrej Ilić nearly connected with a dangerous Derrick Köhn cross in the second minute, but the game quickly turned physical.
Stanley Nsoki earned an early yellow card for a reckless challenge on Malik Tillman, and Union suffered a setback when Janik Haberer limped off after just 11 minutes, replaced by Christopher Trimmel.
The breakthrough came in the 28th minute. Rani Khedira pounced on a hesitation from Robert Andrich following a clever chip from Aljoscha Kemlein.
Khedira calmly lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Janis Blaswich, giving the hosts a precious lead.
Leverkusen responded with sustained possession but struggled to break down Union’s compact defence.
Their best opportunities came from András Schäfer’s low strike in the 32nd minute, saved by Blaswich, and a dangerous deflection from Leopold Querfeld in the 52nd minute that forced a sharp save from Frederik Rønnow.
Despite numerous attacking attempts, including Aleix García’s long-range effort in the 65th minute and Patrik Schick’s late headers, Leverkusen could not find a way past Union’s disciplined defensive wall.
Union, meanwhile, remained a threat on the counter, with Ilić coming close in the 67th minute.
Khedira’s performance went beyond his match-winning goal. The Union captain was pivotal in maintaining the team’s defensive shape, making crucial interceptions, winning 18 challenges, and covering significant ground.
His leadership and composure ensured that Union held on for a vital victory.
The win marks Union Berlin’s first triumph of 2026, halting a seven-game winless run and providing a much-needed boost as they look to climb away from the relegation zone.
