Behrens enchants the iron
Union goal giant blocks the topic of the DFB team
08/21/2023, 3:12 p.m
Union Berlin has had a successful start to the new season, mainly thanks to triple goal scorer Kevin Behrens. The attacker has developed strongly under coach Urs Fischer. Behrens’ aerial superiority in the opposing penalty area is impressive. Is his development enough for more?
Kevin Behrens knew the ball was in good hands. When the match winner of 1. FC Union Berlin rode his bike home from Köpenick after work, the souvenir of his first Bundesliga hat-trick had long since found a new lover. “My son plays with the ball in the locker room,” said Behrens. The attacker scored three header goals in the 4-1 (2-0) win against FSV Mainz 05 (1st/9th/70th). Together with penalty killer Frederik Rönnow, who saved two penalties from Ludovic Ajorque (62nd/88th), the attacker played a key role in the successful start of the season for the Berliners.
Behrens’ aerial superiority in the opposing penalty area was impressive. For the first time since detailed data was collected in the 2004/05 season, a player scored three headers in a game. It was also the earliest brace on a 1st matchday in almost 40 years. Nevertheless, Behrens did not feel called to higher things. Behrens was asked after his gala whether he was on Hansi Flick’s European Championship radar, after all there was no oversupply of top center forwards in Germany. “I’m not concerned with that at all,” Behrens replied: “I’m trying to do my best here, keep pushing, score goals and have fun with it. That’s my approach.”
“It annoys him when he misses in training”
This is well received by Urs Fischer. The coach of the year appreciates the 32-year-old very much. A “great guy” is Behrens, “also in the dressing room. He’s always ready for any fun,” said the Swiss. Fischer Behrens’ qualities in front of goal and his attitude are much more important. Behrens, according to Fischer, “is very ambitious, even during the week. It gets on his nerves when he misses the goal or heads past it in training. This willingness to improve is what sets him apart”.
Behrens has come a long way with it. In the summer of 2021 he moved from the second division club SV Sandhausen to the Alte Försterei on a free transfer. Even then, the transfer from the up-and-coming club from East Berlin seemed to be one for the masses. Union is now playing the Champions League for the first time – and the competitive situation has intensified again. In ex-national striker Kevin Volland, Mikkel Kaufmann, Benedict Hollerbach and Chelsea loanee David Datro Fofana, Union signed four nominal strikers in the summer. Jordan Siebatcheu is also fighting for playing time. Sheraldo Becker, Union’s top scorer in the pre-season, is stronger on the wings, but is still a competitor for starting XI appearances on the offensive.
Kevin Behrens played on Sunday. “At Union you don’t just have to score goals, you also have to work a lot for the team, fix balls and pass them on,” said the native of Bremen, “I’ve definitely improved a lot there.” Behrens has maintained the strong form of the second half of the 2022/23 season and made further progress. “A good start” was the game against Mainz, “of course you have to confirm that over the next few weeks. It’s clear that you don’t always score three goals.” However, his son would be interested in other balls as a trophy.