FC St. Pauli

After a 38-day winter break, a training camp in Spain, and some high-intensity preparations, the Boys in Brown went into the game determined to reap the reward for all their hard work in recent weeks. For Markus Kauczinski, it was the third game in charge. The new boss was able to welcome back Bernd Nehrig (ankle) and Aziz Bouhaddouz (suspension) to the side, while Jeremy Dudziak slotted into holding midfield alongside his captain.

From the outset, both teams made clear their intent to secure victory in the first competitive game of 2018, but it was the Boys in Brown who struck first with just eight minutes gone. Luca Zander knocked in an angled cross to the edge of the penalty area, where Waldemar Sobota netted on the volley to send the 2,500 travelling fans into raptures. And it could have been two a couple of minutes later when Nehrig powered his way down the middle and forced Markus Schubert into the save. Next, Cenk Sahin floated in the resulting corner to Christopher Avevor, and the 19-year-old keeper pulled off a decent reflex stop.

The game dropped off after that, with FCSP content to sit back and wait for a chance to break as the home side struggled to find a way through. Dynamo therefore tried their luck from distance. Manuel Konrad went close on 31 and then Paul Seguin tested Robin Himmelmann two minutes later.

A combative defensive performance ensured the Boys in Brown went in at the break a goal to the good.

The pattern remained much the same after the interval, Kauczinski's side operating from a solid rearguard that left Dynamo bereft of ideas. On the break, however, the Boys in Brown lacked precision. That was to change on 71 when one of the many Dresden corners broke down, allowing Zander to collect the ball and set off towards the opposition goal. The initial shot from Bouhaddouz was blocked, and when the home side failed to clear their lines, Sobota strode into the box and squared for substitute Richard Neudecker to prod the ball over the line.

Two goals to the good, the closing stages were made for the Boys in Brown, of course. And Sobota crowned a magnificent performance eight minutes from time when he intercepted a Dresden pass to drive into the box and claim his second goal of the night from close range. It was all over bar the shouting now, but the home side rallied one more time and grabbed a consolation goal through Lucas Röser on 88. It was too little, too late, though, and the Boys in Brown saw out stoppage time to claim a valuable victory.

SG Dynamo Dresden

Schubert – Seguin, Franke, Ballas, Heise – Konrad (Röser 74') – Horvath (Duljevic 55'), Benatelli (Aosman 79'), Hauptmann, Berko - Mlapa

Head coach: Uwe Neuhaus

FC St. Pauli

Himmelmann – Zander, Avevor, Sobiech, Buballa – Nehrig (Park 83'), Dudziak (Flum 72') – Sahin, Allagui (Neudecker 67'), Sobota – Bouhaddouz

Head coach: Markus Kauczinski

Goals: 0-1 Sobota (8'), 0-2 Neudecker (71'), 0-3 Sobota (82'), 1-3 Röser (88')

Yellow cards: Berko, Hauptmann, Konrad – Dudziak

Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Nürnberg)

Attendance: 28,706

Photos: Witters