VfL Wolfsburg dominated FC St. Pauli with a commanding 3-1 victory at Millerntor-Stadion, with Konstantinos Koulierakis opening the scoring before two second-half goals sealed the win.
Wolfsburg arrived in Hamburg searching for points after a mixed run of form. St. Pauli, meanwhile, occupied 18th place and desperately needed a result to climb away from the relegation zone. Both teams sat level on 26 points with 33 matches played, making this clash crucial for their survival hopes.
The away side controlled possession from the start, dominating the ball with 57% ownership. St. Pauli pressed high but struggled to maintain pressure. The breakthrough came in the 37th minute when Koulierakis rose above the St. Pauli defense and powered a header past goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj. The Wolfsburg defender's clinical finish gave the visitors a deserved lead.
St. Pauli created few clear openings in the first half. Vasilj made eight saves across the match, keeping his team in contention despite Wolfsburg's dominance. The home side's passing accuracy of 71% paled against Wolfsburg's 78%, reflecting their struggles to control the game's tempo.
Wolfsburg fired 18 total shots compared to St. Pauli's 11. The expected goals data told the story: Wolfsburg's 3.4 xG dwarfed St. Pauli's 1.52. Despite this, the first half remained tight at 1-0.
The second half began with St. Pauli searching for an equalizer. Instead, Abdoulie Ceesay struck a devastating blow in the 57th minute, firing past Vasilj to make it 2-0. The substitute's arrival had immediate impact, shifting the match decisively in Wolfsburg's favor.
Seven minutes later, St. Pauli's afternoon got worse. Vasilj turned the ball into his own net in the 64th minute, handing Wolfsburg a three-goal cushion. The own-goal effectively ended the contest as a competition.
St. Pauli pulled one back through Christian Eriksen's penalty in the 77th minute, offering brief hope. However, Danilo Pejcinovic restored Wolfsburg's three-goal advantage in the 80th minute, sealing a comprehensive victory. The away side's attacking prowess proved too much for the struggling home defense.
Wolfsburg's shots on target totaled 10, while St. Pauli managed just two. Koulierakis earned a rating of 7.9 for his leadership at the back, though Vasilj's 8.3 rating reflected his efforts between the posts despite the own-goal.
The defeat leaves St. Pauli in 18th place with 26 points. Wolfsburg remains in 16th on identical points, but their superior goal difference provides breathing room. St. Pauli must find immediate improvement to avoid the drop.
