MAGDEBURG FACT FILE
Tuesday, 18. December 2018, 12:44 Uhr
FC St. Pauli entertain FC Magdeburg in the final game of the year this Saturday (1300 CET). As usual, we've put together a few facts and figures on our forthcoming opponents.
Home drought
The Boys in Brown ended the first half of the 2016-17 season bottom of the table on just 11 points, the same haul that FC Magdeburg have garnered at the same stage this term. But while we at least managed one home win two years ago, FCM have yet to register a success at the MDCC Arena in their debut second division campaign, collecting six draws and three defeats so far. Despite failing to win in Magdeburg, the newly promoted outfit still rank above Duisburg (three points) and Sandhausen (also six points) in the home table.
Points squandered
FCM have taken the lead in eight of the 17 matches they have contested so far but have gone on to win just one, losing four and drawing the other three. Their total of 18 dropped points is the worst in the league. By comparison, the Boys in Brown have got their noses in front 12 times and surrendered only seven points. Of these games they have lost just one (5-3 against Cologne), while late goals against Regensburg and Dresden (both 1-1) meant they had to settle for a point on two occasions.
Vulnerable late on
One reason Magdeburg have missed out on so many points is the number of goals they have conceded late in the game. When new head coach Michael Oenning made his debut at the helm after succeeding the dismissed Jens Härtel in mid-November, for example, his side were leading 2-1 at Fürth until just before the end, only to lose the game 3-2. In total, FCM have shipped 12 goals in the final quarter of an hour plus stoppage time – more than any other team in the league.
Boom boom Beck
Magdeburg's total of 19 goals scored is the fourth-lowest in the division, with only fellow strugglers Duisburg (15), Ingolstadt (16) and Sandhausen (18) registering less often. And they have goal machine Christian Beck to thank for helping them get that many. The striker, who has scored 115 goals in 221 competitive appearances since joining the club in January 2013, has contributed eight of those 19 goals (42.1 per cent). Only Simon Terodde has done better in percentage terms, scoring 21 of Cologne's 45 goals (46.7 per cent).
Photos: Eibner
