FC St. Pauli

St. Paul went into the game looking to build on a positive DFB Cup showing against Hertha BSC in midweek. Lasse Sobiech returned to central defence, Brian Koglin slotted in at left-back and Daniel Buballa started on the bench. Head coach Ewald Lienen also opted for Vegar Hedenstad, Marvin Ducksch and Cenk Sahin, who made his first appearance in the starting lineup. He also switched the formation to a 4-1-4-1.

The Boys in Brown came out fighting and Ducksch almost gave them the lead with just two minutes on the clock, his angled left-foot shot flying just the wrong side of the post. Soon after Ryo Miyaichi unleashed a piledriver from distance, but it lacked the precision to outwit Kirschbaum. In the sixth minute, though, the Franconians caved in under the relentless pressure from the home side. Ducksch bulldozed his way through the middle and the ball fell to Christopher Buchtmann, who produced a cool finish. What a start!

It took the visitors until the quarter hour to recover from the early onslaught and the shock of going behind. Striker Tim Matavz had the first chance to restore parity when he struck a shot narrowly wide with 14 minutes gone. They were to be more successful with their next opportunity on 20, however. A Kempe corner was flicked on by Matavz for Guido Burgstaller to slide the ball home at the back post.

Lienen’s side immediately set about trying to put the setback behind them. In the 24^th minute Bernd Nehrig directed a powerful header straight into the arms of Kirschbaum. The Boys in Brown were then dealt another blow when Miyaichi was unable to continue after a collision with Tim Leibold and had to be replaced by Maurice Litka. Nürnberg were now in the ascendency and Leibold only just missed the target with a volley from distance after 34 minutes. Both teams had chances in the run-up to half-time but it remained 1-1 at the break.

After a lively start Christopher Buchtmann put St. Pauli ahead in the sixth minute, only for Guido Burgstaller to level the scores on 20.

Both teams took a slightly more cautious approach after the restart. The first chance fell to the visitors on 51 when Kempe was denied by Robin Himmelmann. At the other end Koglin hit a shot over the crossbar from a corner five minutes later. The game picked up pace again, with play flowing from end to end, and Laszlo Sepsi saw a low effort fizz past the upright just after the hour.

It was now the turn of the home side to turn on the heat. Kirschbaum just about managed to divert a Sahin effort round the post for a corner on 66 and then gathered a Sobiech header from Buchtmann’s ball in. Nevertheless, Alois Schwartz’s side remained a constant threat on the break in an entertaining encounter.

That presented the Boys in Brown with chances to switch the play quickly themselves, however, and after a long kick out by Himmelmann from the edge of his area Sahin popped up in front of Kirschbaum. It was a golden opportunity but unfortunately the midfielder was unable to get enough power on the shot. The home side had one final opportunity from a Hedenstad free-kick just before the end but it wasn’t to be and the game ended all square.

The players showed the right attitude against Nürnberg but it still ended 1-1.

FC St. Pauli

Himmelmann – Hedenstad, Sobiech, Avevor, Koglin (Buballa 66’) – Nehrig – Sahin, Sobota (Neudecker 74’), Buchtmann, Miyaichi (Litka 29’) – Ducksch

Head coach: Ewald Lienen

FC Nürnberg

Kirschbaum – Brecko, Hovland, Mühl, Sepsi – Petrak, Leibold (Kammerbauer 90’) – Kempe, Möhwald, Burgstaller – Matavz (Sylvestr 55’)

Head coach: Alois Schwartz

Goals: 1-0 Buchtmann (6’), 1-1 Burgstaller (20’)

Yellow cards: Buchtmann, Nehrig, Litka / Petrak

Referee: Harm Osmers

Attendance: 29,546

Photo: Witters