FC St. Pauli

After more than three weeks without a game at the Millerntor the motivation to register the second home win of the season was high. The Boys in Brown took advantage of the international break to draw a line under the hugely disappointing 1-0 defeat at Union Berlin and were raring to go against the freshly promoted Bavarians. Cenk Sahin returned to the side having recovered from a knee injury, Maurice Litka making way.

The first half was a game of huge contrasts. Regensburg were the busier side in the opening stages, exerting plenty of pressure with their high pressing game, and on 21 minutes they took the lead with the very first chance of the game, Marco Grüttner heading home a Geipl corner. Just three minutes later they doubled their lead when a Benedikt Saller cross found its way to the back post, where Sargis Adamyan drilled a low shot into the net.

Urged out of their slumber by the Millerntor crowd and a double substitution by Olaf Janßen, which saw Aziz Bouhaddouz and Johannes Flum replace Waldemar Sobota and Bernd Nehrig, the Boys in Brown hit back before the break. With the Regensburg defence momentarily at sixes and sevens following a 40th minute set piece, Lasse Sobiech took advantage by rifling home a left-foot shot in the manner of a striker. And just five minutes later the game was all square when Sami Allagui stooped low to convert a Buballa cross.

Back in the game: Lasse Sobiech and Christopher Avevor celebrate after the deficit is halved.

In the second half the game swung the way of Janßen's charges, who came back out looking very focused. With 52 minutes gone Christopher Buchtmann did brilliantly to carve out an opening and came within a whisker of giving his team the lead from a narrow angle. In the ensuing period the Boys in Brown threatened to penetrate the danger area on several occasions, but the final ball lacked precision. Sahin therefore opted to wait for a mistake by the visitors, latching on to a backpass, only to lose control of the ball at the crucial moment.

St. Pauli pushed forward in the closing stages. Buchtmann was denied by Penkte on the break, and seconds later Bouhaddouz popped up alone in front of goal, only to fire over the crossbar. Sobiech then went close with a header from a Sahin corner on 83 before the visitors almost snatched it two minutes from time when Seller was unable to react quickly enough to score. And so it remained 2-2, though considering the chances on offer it could easily have been more.

FC St. Pauli

Himmelmann – Zander, Sobiech, Avevor, Buballa (Dudziak 77') – Nehrig (Flum 35') – Sahin, Møller Dæhli, Buchtmann, Sobota (Bouhaddouz 35') - Allagui

Head coach: Olaf Janßen

SSV Jahn Regensburg

Pentke – Saller, Nachreiner, Knoll, Nandzik (Gimber 82') – Stolze (George 46'), Geipl, Lais, Adamyan (Hofrath 67') – Grüttner, Nietfeld

Head coach: Achim Beierlorzer

Goals: 0-1 Grüttner (21'), 0-2 Adamyan (24'), 1-2 Sobiech (40'), 2-2 Allagui (45')

Yellow cards: Buballa, Buchtmann - Adamyan, Lais, Nandzik, Hofrath, Geipl

Referee: Florian Heft

Attendance: 29,546 (sold out)

Photos: Witters