FC St. Pauli

On the assumption that the team that had contested the first two league games would continue to gel, Timo Schultz made just one change to the side that drew 2-2 at Hannover 96, Betim Fazliji coming in for Adam Dźwigała.

The crowd were treated to a highly entertaining first half in which the Boys in Brown lived up to their favourites tag by pushing most of the play into the opposition half. After Igor Matanović had gone close with a first minute header and Jackson Irvine had steered a left-foot shot off target on 7, Straelen goalkeeper Kevin Kratzsch produced an excellent stop to deny Johannes Eggestein in the 13th minute.

A goal was in the air, but it was the underdogs who struck in clinical fashion, Said Harouz slipping the ball through to Jaron Vicario, who angled a left-foot drive into the far corner. The Boys in Brown took a while to brush themselves down and Jakov Medić had to produce a last-second lunge to prevent more damage in the shape of a second Straelen goal. Finally, a set piece provided the breakthrough in the 26th minute when a direct free-kick by Eric Smith deflected off the wall and into the far corner.

Five minutes before the interval, the Swedish midfielder floated another free-kick into the middle for Medić to head his side in front. The joy proved short-lived, however, when a ball knocked in behind the backline by Joep Munsters exposed more defensive frailties, and Fazliji was unable to get a decisive challenge in to stop Amoros Nshimirimana restoring parity.

The Boys in Brown squandered a host of chances in the first half, netting only twice despite creating several gilt-edged opportunities.

Though the Boys in Brown were clearly the better side, registering 16-5 attempts on goal and 70 per cent possession in the first half, the underdogs began to believe they could hurt their second-division opponents thanks to the two goals. Correspondingly, the Schultz XI were unable to create chances at the same rate after the restart. Instead, Straelen continued to pose a threat in transition, forcing Smith to head away a goalbound effort from Marco Cirillo, for example.

On the other hand, the favourites were much more effective in the second period. Eggestein lofted a cross to the back post for David Otto, who had only come on a minute earlier, to nod home from close range. Medić could have added a fourth soon after, but his goalbound header was cleared off the line.

In keeping with the way the game had gone to that point, the closing stages had it in them. Leart Paqarada came close to putting a lid on the proceedings on 74 when his free-kick hit the post and then the Boys in Brown were reduced to ten men following a red card for Manolis Saliakas for a challenge on Toshiaki Miyamoto - a harsh decision. A couple of minutes later, the fourth-tier outfit levelled the scores again when Vicario caught everyone unawares with a direct free-kick that sneaked in at the near post.

It was left to the Boys in Brown to deliver the punchline, however, from yet another set piece. Smith’s free-kick bounced back off the far post and found the net off the back of Medić. This time, the lead was enough for the Schultz XI to book their place in the second round. 

SV Straelen

Kratzsch - Cirillo, Baraza, Päffgen, Miyamoto - Fionouke, J. Munsters (Ndiaye 74') - Mata, Vicario, Harouz - Nshimirimana (N. Munsters 60')

Head coach: Sunday Oliseh

FC St. Pauli

Smarsch - Saliakas, Fazliji (Dźwigała 90'+3), Medić, Paqarada - Smith - Irvine, Hartel - Daschner (Boukhalfa 61') - Matanović (Otto 61'), Eggestein (Zander 78')

Head coach: Timo Schultz

Goals: 1-0 Vicario (19'), 1-1 Smith (26'), 1-2 Medic (40'), 2-2 Nshimirimana (42'), 2-3 Otto (62'), 3-3 Vicario (80'), 3-4 Medić (90')

Yellow cards: Harouz, Ndiaye, Cirillo

Red card: Saliakas (foul play 77')

Referee: Tom Bauer

Attendance: 5,874

Photo: Witters