FC St. Pauli

Head coach Timo Schultz had spoken of a “mini-reboot” ahead of the restart at Greuther Fürth and that was reflected in the starting lineup, which featured five changes from the 3-0 home setback against Fortuna Düsseldorf. New recruit Adam Dźwigała slotted into central defence alongside Marvin Knoll, while Afeez Aremu made his first league start in holding midfield. Kevin Lankford began on the right wing, Lukas Daschner in attacking midfield, and Simon Makienok at centre-forward. Daniel Buballa, Finn Ole Becker, Rico Benatelli, Daniel-Kofi Kyereh and Igor Matanovic dropped to the bench, where they were joined by the fit-again Guido Burgstaller. Fürth, who had won seven of their last nine league games, began with the same lineup that won 9-8 on penalties at Bundesliga outfit TSG Hoffenheim in the second round of the DFB Cup just before Christmas.

In a high-intensity opening the Boys in Brown defended aggressively and gave nothing away, but Fürth soon began to take control. The home side fashioned their first two chances from corners on the quarter-hour. First, central defender Paul Jaeckel headed wide under pressure from Adam Dźwigała, and then right-back Marco Meyerhöfer flashed a first-time shot wide of the goal from distance.

From the next corner a few minutes later, referee Tobias Reichel pointed to the spot after a Jaeckel shot struck the outstretched arm of Marvin Knoll. Julian Green stepped up to send Svend Brodersen the wrong way, slotting the penalty into the bottom right corner. Fürth doubled their advantage just four minutes later when Brodersen was unable to hang on to a high ball in from Meyerhöfer at the back post and Havard Nielsen poked home from a tight angle. Fürth remained the dominant side and created the next chance on 32 minutes when a Jamie Leweling effort took two deflections before fizzing past the left-hand upright.

The Boys in Brown struggled to escape the home side’s stranglehold and failed to register a single shot on goal in this period of the game. At the other end, Paul Seguin pulled the trigger from 18 metres on 35, but Brodersen saved with aplomb. The St. Pauli custodian then produced an excellent stop to turn a David Raum volley over the bar in first-half stoppage time, but the home side were worth their two-goal lead at the break.

Julian Green slots a penalty into the bottom-right corner to give Fürth the lead.

Timo Schultz made one change for the second half, introducing Daniel Buballa in place of Leart Paqarada. The pattern remained much the same, however, with Fürth dictating the play as before. Anton Stach tried his luck from distance on 49 but fired well over. Two minutes later, the Boys in Brown worked some space on the left of the Fürth penalty box, but Maximilian Dittgen screwed his shot well off target. Brodersen then defused an effort from Green.

With an hour gone, Schultz made his next two substitutions, throwing on Daniel-Kofi Kyereh and Igor Matanovic for Lukas Daschner and Simon Makienok. An unmarked Nielsen then headed well over from nine metres, while Kyereh was unable to connect with a low ball in from Dittgen. Fürth had a much better chance at the other end, but Knoll got a decisive block in to deflect Nielsen’s close-range shot for a corner.

The Boys in Brown began to show more attacking intent but were left waiting for their first meaningful attempt on goal against a well-marshalled Fürth rearguard until substitute Leon Flach met a half-cleared corner first time and drilled the ball into the bottom right corner from almost 30 metres to halve the deficit.

Schultz responded with the introduction of another striker in Guido Burgstaller for Kevin Lankford five minutes from time. Moments later, Fürth thought they had restored their two-goal lead when substitute Dickson Abiama found the net, only to be ruled offside. The Boys in Brown threw everyone forward in an attempt to force an equaliser, but Rodrigo Zalazar screwed his shot wide from just outside the box. Fürth then squandered two good chances in time added on before it ended in a deserved 2-1 win for the home side.

Greuther Fürth

Burchert - Meyerhöfer, Jaeckel, Bauer, Raum - Leweling (Hrgota 68’), Stach, Seguin (Sarpei 83’), Ernst (Tillman 77’) - Green - Nielsen (Abiama 77’)

Head coach: Stefan Leitl

FC St. Pauli

Brodersen - Ohlsson, Dźwigała, Knoll, Paqarada (Buballa 46’) - Zalazar, Aremu (Flach 77’) - Lankford (Burgstaller 85’), Daschner (Kyereh 61’), Dittgen - Makienok (Matanovic 61’)

Head coach: Timo Schultz

Goals: 1-0 Green (pen. 24’), 2-0 Nielsen (27’), 2-1 Flach (82’)

Yellow cards: Seguin – Paqarada, Aremu, Ohlsson

Referee: Tobias Reichel (Stuttgart)

Photos: Witters