Union hadn’t won in seven, Leverkusen hadn’t lost in seven; to quote a man, it had been the best of times, it had been the worst of times. But of course, the stats don’t tell the whole story, they rarely do, and despite losing last weekend in Hamburg, Union had been excellent in places. They were worth a point there, and certainly all three here. At the heart of it, though, was the man who started with the armband, Rani Khedira.  

Khedira has been a mainstay at the heart of Union’s midfield since his arrival in 2021, and his debut against – guess who? – Leverkusen. He had scored four in one season for Augsburg in 2018/19; he already has five in this one for Union already and it’s only February.

Khedira has of course been able to thrive with the solidity and stability offered by an Union back three who exuded defiance all day today, and someone like Andrej Ilić ahead of him, his back to goal, the ball sticking to his shirt like Velcro.

Within a minute Ilić had his first sniff, the last link in a neat move that started with the excellent pair of Andras Schäfer and Derrick Köhn. Equi Fernández, the last man back, however, stood his ground defiantly. The next time he had the ball he had Robert Andrich, Fernández and Edmond Tapsoba around him, jostling, bustling the striker, giving him little space to breathe, let alone turn.

It was Köhn who had the first strike at goal as Union swarmed forwards in those opening phases, his well-struck volley flicked out for a corner after six minutes.

But Bayer countered quickly, and Ibrahim Maza won a free kick from the most dangerous of spots, just outside the box when caught by a Janik Haberer who hurt himself more than the Leverkusen man. Adding insult to literal injury, he was booked as he limped off, replaced by Christopher Trimmel, who was given the armband by Khedira at the first break in play.

The game swung back and forth, as Union looked to use the full width of the pitch - Jeong and Schäfer linking up so close to the left-hand touchline it was like they were walking a tightrope. Querfeld had to show his own pace and strength to beat Christian Kofane as Leverkusen broke up the middle. But Union were barrelling forwards, and Ilić almost turned provider when his cross from the left flew just too high for Doekhi and Querfeld, still in the box from a corner won by Köhn.

Doekhi, again, couldn’t quite get high enough to put his header from Köhn’s clipped free kick on target.

But Leverkusen were starting to apply pressure of their own, the tireless Schäfer got back just in time to head Malik Tillman’s cross away; Querfeld slipped as Kofane made his run from inside-right but couldn’t take advantage of his sudden advantage; Trimmel cleared Tillman’s pass from the penalty spot.

Union took a deserved lead before half an hour was up though. Khedira bustled past his former team-mate, Andrich, and beat Janis Blaswich with a perfect, pin-point shot above the keeper’s head, into the roof of the net. It was a fine, explosive, striker’s finish.

He and his team-mates were enjoying themselves it seemed and drew applause as Köhn beat off two players back near his own byline, finding Kemlein, whose long ball back across his own box was chested back to Rönnow by Trimmel. Schäfer then went close at the other end, only denied by Blaswich’s outstretched toe at his near post.

Trimmel’s tackle on Kofane near the edge of the Union box after 35 minutes was a delight, he sprung at the ball, a moment’s indecision from the striker giving him what seemed like all the time in the world. He’ll be 39 next week, it didn’t show, not for a second.

Union continued to attack as the break loomed, with Andrich working a double shift. First his uncertain header back to Blaswich was hastily cleared, then he went down, drawing a yellow card for Ilić and the derision of a crowd who adored him during his time at Union. Grimaldo toppled just as easily under pressure from Schäfer soon afterwards.

With the four minutes added on almost up, Arthur just got in as Ilić darted onto Schäfer’s clever, defence-splitting, outside of the boot pass. There was still time for a final chance for the guests, but Grimaldo put his free kick from the corner of the 18-yard box over the bar.

A rain shower and glorious sunshine greeted the second half, a reminder of things other than the grimness of snow and ice and the freezing cold that had accompanied so many games this year. But, if all that seemed so unfamiliar, he sight of Ilić rising to chest down Kemlein’s 40-yard pass was reassuring. Though his control was fine, he was too isolated to be able to bring Jeong into play before the ball was nipped away from him by Tapsoba.

Looking to attack, Jeong was fouled by Loïc Badé, stunned to see a throw-in given the other way instead. But Rönnow had to be at his sharpest to parry after a shot was deflected his way via the boot of Querfeld before Tillman threw himself to the floor when running at Doekhi. His pleading, guilty glance at referee, Harm Osmers, was studiously ignored.

Union weren’t to be daunted, with Schäfer scurrying, Khedira bustling and Kemlein turning in midfield, and that back three of Querfeld, Doekhi and Nsoki utterly unflustered; but they had to be at their best against a good attacking side. Querfeld got a yellow card on the stroke of the hour for a foul, 25 yards out. Grimaldo stood over it, but left the free kick for Garcia, who couldn’t beat the Union wall, up on their toes.

After the next free kick, cleared by Querfeld with towering ease, Khedira tackled Tillman, winning a throw. He turned first to the Gegengerade, then the Waldseite, roaring them on, gesturing for them to up the volume. He didn’t need to, though, and they screamed their disapproval as Ilić was next brought down with still no decision given his way. Just as they cheered when Trimmel cleared the next opportunity to come his way, way out, up past the halfway line.

Leverkusen were now dominating the play, and Garcia, given time to pick his spot from range, bent a wicked shot low over the bar. Schäfer tackled Maza in the box, before the Algerian international shot well wide.

With 20 minutes to play, coach, Steffen Baumgart made his first change, bringing on Alex Král for Jeong; he hit a volley straight into the back of Grimaldo almost straight away after Trimmel’s next corner fell his way. His best moment was to come when he raced 20 yards as Union broke, battling off Grimaldo when it seemed he had run into a dead end, turning and finding Kemlein instead.

Union’s resolution at the back held, despite the now constant attacks coming their way. Rönnow held Lucas Vázquez‘s cross, high above his head with typical calm. He then punched clear ahead of Patrik Schick, launching himself, one handed at the waist high ball.

Ilić played in by Schäfer, saw his shot blocked; Schäfer then struck the follow up well, but that too flew away to safety. Král was now at the heart of things, dominating the left-hand side like he’d played there his whole life, winning a free kick after an impossible looking one-two with Köhn. As the set-piece was waiting to be taken, Schäfer was floored, to be replaced alongside Ilić, by Ilyas Ansah and Tim Skarke.

With five minutes remaining, the game grew wilder. Querfeld and Doekhi were clearing everything thrown their way, before Andrich was booked for a late lunge on Ansah. Kemlein did superbly, turning and hitting a pass backwards to Rönnow from the Leverkusen half, releasing the pressure for a moment. His long, low ball out to Skarke was even better, springing a break that only ceased when he was outnumbered.

With the 90 up, there were still seven long, nervy minutes to play, and Schick, a double goalscorer against Olympiakos in midweek, put his header over; Martin Terrier flicked his own one wide.  And with every clearance, every chance played out by Leverkusen, as when Vázquez overhit his pass out for a goal kick, the cheers grew louder.

Schick had one final opportunity, a header that dropped in slow motion just wide of the back post, but that was that. Union had held them at bay; they had finally won this year. And it was nothing less than utterly deserved.

It had been a concentrated and determined, and no-less skilful performance from the whole team, but at the end, as they took their lap of honour a cry came out from the terrace.

'Ra-ni, Ra-ni, Ra-ni.'