SC Freiburg has on the 22nd matchday of the Bundesliga at FC. St. Pauli narrowly won thanks to a late goal – it is already the third 1-0 win of the Breisgauer in a row.
The goal of the day fell in the 88th minute when the former Freiburg Philipp Treu fell a shot by Christian Günter into his own network. For the Freiburg, the next 1-0 victory in the fight for European places is an enormously important success. “It was a very mature performance”said Freiburg coach Julian Schuster of the Sportschau.
St. Pauli, on the other hand, remains in the back of the table after the bitter defeat. “It’s very, very annoying”said Alexander Blessin, coach of FC St. Pauli, the sports show. He meant the emergence of the winning goal and the result. In the direction of his team he said: “Clean the mouth, then it goes on.”
Freiburg’s match plan: long balls behind the chain
During the last visit to St. Pauli in October 2015 (0-1 defeat), today’s coach Julian Schuster was still on the pitch as a player for SC. Well, at his coaching debut at the Millerntor, Schuster saw how his team followed a consistent plan from the start: deep balls behind the defense chain of the Hamburgers.
Matthias Ginter’s long passport resulted in the first major chance of the game. Ritsu Doan strongly took the long pass, but shot St. Pauli’s goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj (13th). The hosts, in which Elias Saad celebrated his starting eleven comeback after a long injury break, hardly found a gap against the attentive Freiburg defensive. Only Saad checked Noah Atubolu in the Freiburg Tor in the initial phase (6th).
Sportschau Bundesliga Highlights, February 15, 2025 5:43 p.m.
Freiburg penalty-misery lasts
Shortly before the break, the game that had tough up until then really picked up speed. After Jackson Irvine’s elbow use against Doan, referee Benjamin Brand foul. Grifo took care of the matter and tried the “Panenka” lifter. Vasilj suspected the Fint, stopped and started the ball effortlessly.
For Grifo it was the third penalty in the season, for Freiburg even the sixth Bundesliga penalty in a row-club negative record. Already in the first leg the Italian failed with a penalty to Vasilj.
Find his master again in St. Paulis Vasilj: Freiburg’s Grifo
Second half: St. Paulis Vasilj strong again
Grifo, after his weak penalty in the bring debt, also remained a formative figure in the second round. After both teams initially linked their good defensive performance in the first half and allowed little, it was again the Italian who tested Vasilj. Grifo circled a free kick by train into the wall corner, St. Pauli’s goalkeeper flew and parried worth seeing (57th).
It was the prelude to a phase of the game in which both teams risked a little more. Merlin Röhl (64th) shot from a distance over the gate, the Freiburger settled at St. Pauli’s penalty area. The Hamburgers tried to counter, but there was only a chance to score in the 85th minute, when Irvine headed past the goal after a corner kick.
And suddenly the big appearance of Freiburg captain Günter came. His loyal shot shortly before the end ended up in the long corner unsustainably and brought the late decision. The gate was ultimately considered the own goal. It was not an undeserved victory for the Freiburger, but in terms of it was extremely bitter for the home side who at least defensively convinced.
Hymn “Heart of St. Pauli” exposed
One topic around the game was the cult anthem of the hosts, who did not sound before the game. As the club announced, the song “Heart of St. Pauli” at Millerntor will not be played until further notice. The reason for this is the alleged Nazi past of the copywriter.
For St. Pauli, the next weekend will go to Mainz (February 22nd, 3:30 p.m.). The day before, Freiburg Werder Bremen has a guest (8:30 p.m.).