FC St. Pauli delivered a stunning upset in the Bundesliga, defeating 1899 Hoffenheim 1-0 at the PreZero Arena. Mathias Pereira Lage scored the decisive goal, but goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj was the undeniable hero for the visitors. His remarkable performance secured a vital three points.
Hoffenheim, sitting comfortably in third place and eyeing a Champions League spot, hosted a struggling St. Pauli side. The visitors languished in 17th, deeply embroiled in the relegation battle. This match presented a stark contrast in league ambitions, with Hoffenheim expected to dominate at home.
The home side began with intent, asserting their control over possession early on. Hoffenheim pressed for an opener, forcing St. Pauli to defend deep in their own half. The tempo was high, with both teams showing eagerness.
The first yellow card arrived in the 21st minute for Hoffenheim's Ozan Kabak, booked for a tripping foul. St. Pauli’s D. Sinani then received a yellow card for unsportsmanlike conduct in the 38th minute. The match grew increasingly physical.
Against the run of play, St. Pauli struck a decisive blow just before the interval. In the 45th minute, deep into first-half stoppage time, Mathias Pereira Lage guided home a finish. Manolis Saliakas provided the crucial assist, leaving the home crowd in disbelief.
The halftime whistle blew with St. Pauli surprisingly leading 1-0. Hoffenheim returned to the dressing room needing to find an answer to unlock their resilient opponents. St. Pauli faced the challenge of maintaining their narrow advantage.
Hoffenheim emerged for the second half with renewed urgency. They immediately pushed for an equaliser, launching wave after wave of attacks. St. Pauli introduced Karol Mets at the start of the half, shoring up their defence.
The home side made tactical changes, bringing on Wouter Burger in the 62nd minute to bolster their midfield. Andrej Kramaric and Robin Hranac followed in the 74th minute, as Hoffenheim desperately sought more attacking firepower. However, St. Pauli's defence stood firm.
As the clock ticked down, St. Pauli players began to employ time-wasting tactics. Joel Fujita earned a yellow card for delay of game in the 80th minute. Three minutes later, Christoph Ilzer was also booked for Hoffenheim as frustrations grew.
Goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj became a hero for St. Pauli, pulling off several crucial saves to deny Hoffenheim. He repelled everything thrown at him, ensuring his team’s slender lead remained intact. The final whistle brought jubilation for the away side.
Hoffenheim dominated the statistics but lacked a finishing touch. They amassed an expected goals (xG) tally of 2.63, compared to St. Pauli’s 0.78. The home team fired 20 total shots, with 10 on target. St. Pauli managed only 11 shots, 3 on target. Hoffenheim also commanded 64% possession.
