Hamburg anniversary game
© Imago
In its anniversary game, FC St. Pauli got a completely deserved point against European Cup candidate Borussia Mönchengladbach. In their 300th Bundesliga game, the Hamburgers came to a 1: 1 (0: 1) in front of 29,546 spectators in the Millerntor Stadium thanks to the late equalizer from Oladapo Afolayan (85th). With now 26 points, Pauli remains in 15th. For the overall disappointing guests, who took the lead through Ko ItaKura (45.+2), the tie in the fight for a European Cup place was a small setback. Especially since the performance of the Gladbacher was primarily to be desired.
The hosts, on the other hand, were immediately involved. If the first end of St. Pauli’s defense chief Hauke Wahl in the 4th minute was still harmless, Danel Sinani made it much better a little later. The midfielder pulled out of almost 18 meters and forced the Gladbach goalkeeper Tiago Pereira Cardoso to an outstanding parade. Meanwhile, the guests initially rely on a stable defensive. It only became dangerous for the goal of the Hamburgers when Lars Ritzka fought a cross from the Gladbach Franck Honorat (12th). St. Pauli’s goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj was there.
“It’s about putting it courageously,” Hamburg coach Alexander Blessin explained the game idea of his team before the kick -off. The courage was not to be discussed by the Kiezkickers. However, the northern Germans lacked precision to seriously endanger the gate of the guests. Again and again the flanks from the outer lanes found no buyer.
The hosts kept struggling with the decisions by referee Christian Dingert. In the 41st minute, the referee had tried the video images to Noah Weißhaupt after a supposed foul by Borussen Nico Elvedi. Instead of a penalty for St. Pauli, Dingert then decided on referee ball because he had not recognized any violation. And the receipt for the hosts followed. Again, Honorat hit a cross – and this time itaura was on hand. Vasilj had no chance against the Japanese placed header of the Japanese at almost 16 meters away. Immediately after the Gladbach leadership, Dingert asked for the break.
In the second section, the Hamburgers started with a lot of momentum. Manolis Saliacas (47th) and again Sinani (49th) caused danger. The biggest compensation for the Hanseatic League of Saad, who was free-standing after a Saliaca flank, headed past the gate (61.). In the end, the Pauli fans were allowed to cheer about the completely deserved compensation.