Ilicevic: 'It's all or nothing'
Hamburg - Ivo Ilicevic picked his moment to score his first goal of the season as Hamburger SV scraped a 1-1 draw with Bundesliga 2 side Karlsruher SC in Thursday's promotion/relegation play-off first leg at the Imtech Arena.
Speaking after the game, the Croatian forward discussed the importance of his equaliser before looking ahead to Monday's decisive return leg in Karlsruhe...
Question: Ivo Ilicevic, was that the most important goal of your career?
Ivo Ilicevic: It was certainly a very, very important goal, but we've still got another game to go and I hope we win it.
Question: You were the only one to take players on in one-on-one situations. Why did you have so little support in attack?
Ilicevic: It was really difficult to play against such deep-lying opposition. It was difficult to play through the two banks of four. We were unsettled in the first half and played too many misplaced passes, but the team kept plugging away in search of the equaliser and we got rewarded for it in the end. There's only one game left and now it's all or nothing.
Question: You've hit form at just the right time...
Ilicevic: I haven't been involved much for long periods over the course of the season, I have to say. I wasn't able to go to the winter training camp, but I always believed my chance would come. I know what I can do. If I'm fit, I can play in any team and bring something to the table. The coach knows that and has put his faith in me. I want to repay his confidence. It's normal that I'm not at 100 per cent because I've had to miss so many games.
Question: What went through your mind when you equalised?
Ilicevic: It was a relief because it was such an important game. We didn't want to lose. Now we've got another game and we want to go into it in a positive frame of mind.
Question: What do you make of the result? Do you feel fortunate that it finished 1-1 or disappointed with only a home draw?
Ilicevic: After going behind, the equaliser was massively important. Obviously, before the game we wanted to win to put ourselves in a better position. We're still the Bundesliga side and now we want to win in Karlsruhe, and that's how we'll go into the game.
Question: Isn't it a bit ironic that you as one of the fringe players may have scored the goal that secures survival?
Ilicevic: That's football. It's not just about my situation, there are one or two other players as well. I've always believed my chance would come because I know what I'm capable of.
Question: Do you know where your future lies? Are you staying at Hamburg?
Ilicevic: No, I don't know yet. What's important now is the game in Karlsruhe. If we get a positive result, then I'll discuss my future.
Alexander Barklage reporting from Hamburg
