FC St. Pauli

Hamburg derby. It was with mixed feelings that everyone connected with the club went into the 105^th meeting with HSV. After four wins in succession, there was no denying the sense of anticipation ahead of the game. On the other hand, it is clearly not the same without the packed stands, the tension in the air and the home fans belting out Aux Armes as the game kicks off.

The St. Pauli starting lineup featured just one change. Eric Smith missed out due to injury and was replaced by Rico Benatelli. The match began with a bang from the point of view of the visitors when Sonny Kittel smashed a free-kick against the crossbar from 35 metres out in the opening minute. A narrow escape for the Schultz XI. That early chance ushered in a high-tempo encounter in which the tackles flew in and HSV edged the play and the possession. And with 12 minutes gone, another Kittel free-kick forced a decent save from Dejan Stojanović.

Rodrigo Zalazar registered the first attempt of goal for the home side four minutes later, and what an attempt it was. The Uruguayan cut in from the left and angled a curling shot a whisker past the far post. Gideon Jung then went close with a header before HSV keeper Sven Ulreich stopped a shinned effort from Guido Burgstaller on the line.

Timo Schultz was forced into an early substitution just before the half-hour mark. Philipp Ziereis had already been booked and after another foul by the skipper Schultz elected to introduce Tore Reginiussen rather than risk a sending-off. The Boys in Brown continued to press, and Omar Marmoush had two decent opportunities in quick succession. Zalazar dispatched a cross to the back stick, where Marmoush somehow managed to direct it back across goal with an acrobatic horizontal bicycle kick. But like his attempt from a narrow angle 60 seconds later, the ball flew past the far post.

It remained a hard-fought, yet entertaining contest, but with no further chances for either side it ended goalless at the break.

Both sides emerged unchanged for the second half. The game took a while to get going again but suddenly exploded into life in the 53^rd minute when Ohlsson whipped the ball into the area and Ulreich was unable to hang on to it. The loose ball fell to Zalazar, who pulled the trigger from close range. His attempt was blocked by the onrushing Jung, who then clattered into Zalazar, prompting Deniz Aytekin to point to the spot. The decision went to VAR, however, and after a look at the replay the referee ruled it was no foul.

The referee was in the spotlight again 11 minutes later when Simon Terodde collected a free-kick from midfield and converted. The ball struck the striker on the arm in the run-up, however, and the goal was rightly disallowed. Much of the ensuing period unfolded in midfield, with plenty of tackles flying in but few goalscoring opportunities, ensuring it remained scoreless as the game entered the final ten minutes.

But then the deadlock was broken! Zalazar escaped the attentions of three opponents in midfield and wedged an exquisite ball to Luca Zander in the box. The substitute showed great vision to knock the ball back to Daniel-Kofi Kyereh and he wasted no time rifling a shot into the back of the net to put his side on the verge of victory. And after a lengthy period of stoppage time in which Tim Leibold was sent off for violent conduct in a tussle with Burgstaller, the referee finally blew his whistle one last time to seal a famous derby victory.

FC St. Pauli

Stojanović - Ohlsson, Ziereis (Reginiussen 28') , Lawrence, Paqarada (Buballa 78') - Benatelli, Becker (Zander 87'), Zalazar, Kyereh - Burgstaller, Marmoush (Matanovic 87')

Head coach: Timo Schultz

Hamburger SV

Ulreich - Vagnoman, Jung (Van Drongelen 59'), Ambrosius, Leibold - Heyer, Kinsombi, Dudziak (Wintzheimer 86') - Kittel, Jatta (Wood 86'), Terodde

Head coach: Daniel Thioune

Goals: 1-0 Kyereh (88')

Yellow cards: Ziereis, Marmoush, Reginiussen, Benatelli – Jung

Red card: Leibold (90'+5)

Referee: Deniz Aytekin

Photos: Witters