FC St. Pauli

Timo Schultz made two changes to his side for the trip to Magdeburg. Simon Makienok came in to partner Guido Burgstaller in attack, while Dennis Smarsch began in goal, as announced by the St. Pauli boss in the run-up.

The game began with a bang when the Boys in Brown took the lead with less than three minutes on the clock. A long ball out of defence was flicked on by Makienok for Guido Burgstaller, who with a bit of luck and an abundance of desire forced his way towards goal from the left. His initial effort was blocked, but his rebound shot sneaked in at the near post to give his team a superb start to the game.

Magdeburg sought to hit the Schultz XI on the break as they went in search of an equaliser, a tactic that saw them threaten Smarsch's goal on several occasions. Yet efforts from Alexander Bittroff, Luca Schuler, Connor Krempicki and Amara Condé all lacked precision, either missing the target slightly or finding the arms of the keeper.

At the other end, the Boys in Brown showed just how dangerous they can be on 19 when left-back Leart Paqarada found Makienok with a low ball in and the striker netted in clinical fashion from close range. The joy proved short-lived, though, as the flag went up for offside. Ten minutes later there was a flurry of action when Burgstaller almost doubled the advantage from a Paqarada cross. His header flew straight to Magdeburg goalkeeper Dominik Reimann, however. The home side then went straight up the other end and Baris Atik sent Sirlord Conteh on his way. The former St. Pauli man skated down the inside-right channel and hit an angled drive beyond Smarsch into the far corner to level the scores.

In all honesty, Magdeburg should have gone ahead in the 39^th minute. Leon Bell Bell whipped the ball in from the left and found the advancing Conteh just a couple of metres in front of goal. Yet instead of nestling in the net, the ball looped up and over the crossbar. A narrow escape for the Boys in Brown, then, who punished the home side on their next foray forward. Eric Smith dispatched a free-kick into the box, where Jakov Medić shrugged off the attentions of his marker to restore the advantage with a powerful header into the far corner.

Timo Schultz made two changes for the second period, introducing Afeez Aremu for Rico Benatelli and James Lawrence for Finn Ole Becker, but it remained a turbulent affair. Kyereh was presented with a golden opportunity to add a third for the Boys in Brown on 51, only to be denied by Reimann in a one on one. And just three minutes later Conteh restored parity again for the home side, chasing a long ball forward to round the keeper and slide home.

Undaunted, the Boys in Brown replied in kind a third time. And how! A Paqarada free-kick smacked back off the upright, but Makienok kept it in the danger area, allowing Burgstaller to power a drive into the roof of the net from close range. Three-two! On we went with the tackles flying in and the players fighting for every ball in a high-intensity encounter. The home side kept plugging away and after a lengthy spell without threatening Conteh tried his luck from range in the 80^th minute. Smarsch was able to defuse his low drive, however. That marked the start of a final onslaught in which Magdeburg had their moments but were unable to find a way past the St. Pauli custodian. And after four minutes of time added on, the Boys in Brown finally booked their place in the second round.

FC Magdeburg

Reimann - Bell Bell, Bittroff, Müller, Obermair – Müller, Atik, Krempicki (Kath 66'), Condé –  Conteh (Granatowski 82'), Schuler (Çeka 82')

Head coach: Christian Titz

FC St. Pauli

Smarsch – Zander (Dźwigała 90'+4), Ziereis, Medić, Paqarada – Smith, Becker (Lawrence 46'), Benatelli (Aremu 46'), Kyereh – Burgstaller, Makienok (Buchtmann 76')

Head coach: Timo Schultz

Goals:  0-1 Burgstaller (3'), 1-1 Conteh (31'), 1-2 Medic (39'), 2-2 Conteh (54'), 2-3 Burgstaller (58')

Yellow cards: Atik, Reimann, Bittroff – Zander, Makienok, Aremu, Dittgen

Referee: Robert Schröder

Attendance: 14,405

Photos: Witters