FC St. Pauli

Timo Schultz's side ran out for what might be the last time in the league on a Monday evening in light of the decision by the German Football League to call time on Monday night football from next season, a kick-off slot that in the past has proved so fruitful for the Boys in Brown, after a 28-year run. The St. Pauli boss had to make do without James Lawrence and Tore Reginiussen, both of whom are ill, and therefore opted for captain Philipp Ziereis alongside Adam Dźwigała in central defence.

A bright start from the Boys in Brown ensured the backline were not the focus of attention in the opening stages, however. With seven minutes gone, Guido Burgstaller sent Omar Marmoush on his way and he turned Nico Klass inside-out before angling a shot past Jasmin Fejzic in the Braunschweig goal to open the scoring. And just seven minutes later, the Eintracht defence succumbed again when Marmoush culminated a fine move by slipping the ball through for Daniel-Kofi Kyereh to round Fejzic and slot home.

It would have been all over bar the shouting soon afterwards had Marmoush not headed against the post from a Paqarada cross. In the ensuing period, Braunschweig looked to stem the flow by getting forward themselves, without ever posing a threat, however. Instead, it could have been 3-0 following another neat passage of passing play, but Guido Burgstaller placed his shot wide of the upright when looking favourite to score.

Omar Marmoush celebrates after opening the scoring in a fine first-half showing.

The Boys in Brown continued in the same vein after the interval and were it not for Fejzic could have been out of sight by the hour. A Rodrigo Zalazar strike three minutes in was easy meat for the Bosnian, but there was plenty to admire about the saves the 34-year-old produced to deny first Burgstaller and then Marmoush. If there was anything to criticise about the performance from the Schultz XI, who knocked the ball around nicely all night, it was the lack of a cutting edge in front of goal.

The visitors, who made several attacking substitutions as the game wore on, thus remained in the running for a point. Their best opportunity fell to Nick Proschwitz in the 74^th minute, but he failed to make a proper contact and missed the target by some distance. As before, the better chances came at the other end, where Lukas Daschner and Finn Ole Becker joined the list of those frustrated by Fejzic, while Igor Matanović missed the half-open goal when the Braunschweig keeper was beaten. The snow came flying down in the final minutes but there was to be no denying the Boys in Brown a fully deserved 2-0 victory. 

FC St. Pauli

Stojanović – Zander, Ziereis, Dźwigała (Knoll 62'), Paqarada – Benatelli – Zalazar, Becker (Aremu 88') – Kyereh (Daschner 72') – Burgstaller (Matanović 88'), Marmoush (Dittgen 72')

Head coach: Timo Schultz

Eintracht Braunschweig

Fejzic – Kessel, Diakhité (Abdullahi 66'), Klass (Ziegele 46'), Schlüter (Schwenk 81') – Wydra, Ben Balla – Kammerbauer, Kroos (Kobylanksi 71'), Bär (Otto 81') – Proschwitz

Head coach: Thomas Stickroth

Goals: 1-0 Marmoush (7'), 2-0 Kyereh (14')

Yellow cards: Kyereh, Zander – Kroos

Referee: Arne Aarnink

Photos: Witters