FC St. Pauli

Head coach Alexander Blessin made two changes to the side that drew 1-1 at VfL Wolfsburg last week, Manolis Saliakas and Elias Saad coming in for Lars Ritzka and Oladapo Afolayan. Hoffenheim boss Christian Ilzer, in contrast, made four adjustments from the 1-1 draw with FC Heidenheim. Former St. Pauli players Leo Østigård and Finn Becker both started on their return to the Millerntor.

The atmosphere was electric well before the kick-off and perhaps unsurprisingly it was the Boys in Brown who fashioned the opening chance of the game in the fourth minute when Jackson Irvine met Danel Sinani's corner first time, only to see his effort loop up off Tom Bischof and come down on top of the goal. The skipper was in the spotlight again soon after, outjumping Kevin Akpoguma to head a Manolis Saliakas cross towards goal, but Hoffenheim keeper Oliver Baumann gathered comfortably.

In a high-intensity contest there was little goalmouth action to speak of in the ensuing period. The Blessin XI were guilty of one or two wayward passes in the build-up during this phase of the game, but the visitors lacked the attacking wit to capitalise. Then, following a turnover in midfield in the 27^th minute, Danel Sinani surged forward and pulled the trigger from distance. His shot was too centrally placed, however, and Baumann turned it round for a corner with his right arm. Sinani ran over to take it, whipping the ball into the danger area, where Siebe Van der Heyden shrugged off the attentions of several defenders to flash a header narrowly wide of the back post.

The Boys in Brown dictated the proceedings from then on, pinning the visitors back in their own half. They were unable to create any further chances, however, leaving the two teams to go in goalless at the break.

Both teams resumed unchanged. In what remained a high-intensity encounter referee Dr Felix Brych continued his lenient approach – occasionally to the chagrin of both players and fans. All that was forgotten in the 51^st minute, however, when Philipp Treu nipped in to claim an underhit pass by Baumann before lifting the ball over the keeper and squaring it unselfishly for Noah Weißhaupt, who was left with the simple task of sliding a shot into the empty for his first goal in St. Pauli colours.

The Boys in Brown surged forward again on 56 when Eric Smith won possession and Weißhaupt was brought down by Anton Stach just outside the area. Smith stepped up to take the resulting free-kick and set his sights on the far corner, but Baumann dived to his left to turn the ball round the post. The visitors took the opportunity to introduce Marius Bülter and Haris Tabaković before the Blessin XI came within a whisker of doubling the advantage. Sinani's corner found the unmarked Irvine at the back stick, and his point-blank header was somehow kept out by Baumann on the line.

With the Boys in Brown in the ascendency, Hoffenheim made another double substitution, which saw Finn Becker end his shift. Blessin promptly made three changes of his own, introducing Lars Ritzka, Oladapo Afolayan and Johannes Eggestein for Siebe Van der Heyden, Elias Saad and Noah Weißhaupt. The visitors began to show first signs of life in attack, but the Boys in Brown remained uncompromising at the back.

After a string of corners Irvine had another opportunity to make it 2-0 on 79 when he met a low corner first time, only to thrash his effort over the top. The visitors threw everyone forward in a bid to snatch a late equaliser, but the Blessin XI defended with passion to secure three richly deserved points that will be worth their weight in gold in the relegation battle.

FC St. Pauli

Vasilj - Nemeth, Wahl, Van der Heyden (Ritzka 73') - Saliakas, Irvine, Smith, Treu - Sinani (Boukhalfa 86') - Saad (Eggestein 73'), Weißhaupt (Afolayan 73')

Head coach: Alexander Blessin

TSG Hoffenheim

Baumann - Kadeřábek (Gendrey 71'), Østigård, Akpoguma, Jurásek (Yardımcı 85') - Bischof, Stach, Becker (Touré 71'), Tohumcu (Bülter 57') - Kramarić, Orban (Tabaković 57')

Head coach: Christian Ilzer

Goals: 1-0 Weißhaupt (51')

Yellow cards: Stach

Referee: Dr. Felix Brych (Munich)

Attendance: 29,546 (sold out)

Photos: FC St. Pauli/Witters