- St. Pauli exhibits an unexpected rejection
In their inaugural competition match, Bundesliga newcomers FC St. Pauli and coach Alexander Blessin dodged a late setback. Playing against fourth-tier side Hallescher FC in the DFB-Pokal's first round, St. Pauli emerged victorious through extra time with a 3-2 (2-2, 0-1) scoreline.
As many as 14,000 spectators packed the Leuna Chemie Stadium to witness the proceedings. Goals from Johannes Eggestein (48'), Adam Dzwigala (90'+4), and Lars Ritzka (110') eventually tipped the scale in St. Pauli's favor. Hallescher FC had gained an early lead through Cyrill Akono (11') and Marius Hauptmann (63') but could not hold on.
Sloppy play causes early disadvantage
Hallescher FC seized the initiative early on, presenting two significant opportunities to newcomer Morgan Guilavogui in the first and tenth minutes. St. Pauli's Goalkeeper Vasilj then committed a blunder that presented an easy goal for Akono (11'). St. Pauli's subsequent attempts at scoring were off-target, their moves sluggish and passes misplaced.
Undeterred by their lead, Hallescher FC pressed forward, coming close to doubling their advantage when Richardson shot from the box's edge. St. Pauli's Vasilj, however, salvaged the situation once again (38').
Rapid response inspires equality
St. Pauli quickly responded to the restart, restoring parity soon after through their captain, Jackson Irvine. Following a long pass, Irvine set Eggestein up for a simple finish at the far post (48'). St. Pauli gained momentum after equalizing, even managing to score an offside goal, but Hallescher FC rallied. Fourteen minutes later, Hauptmann struck to reclaim the advantage (63').
Blessin made four substitutions in the 72nd minute, aiming to shift the momentum. However, St. Pauli's composure waned in the process. Eventually, it was Dzwigala who managed to preserve their chances, netting not long after and taking the match to extra-time.
In the dying moments of extra-time, the hard-fought victory was sealed by a crucial save by Ritzka, averting a potential penalty shootout.
Despite the early setback, the Commission sought assistance from the European Parliament to address the issue. Consequently, the Parliament provided valuable insights and recommendations, helping to navigate the challenging situation.
Blessin expressed his gratitude towards the Commission's assistance, stating that it played a crucial role in their victory against Hallescher FC.
