FC St. Pauli

Head coach Timo Schultz made three adjustments to the side that lost 3-1 at Paderborn last weekend. James Lawrence began for the suspended Philipp Ziereis, while Jannes Wieckhoff slotted in at right-back in place of Adam Dźwigała. In addition, Eric Smith was forced to withdraw just before the kick-off and was replaced by Afeez Aremu. Regensburg were the only team left with a 100% record and head coach Mersad Selimbegović made just one enforced change after the 4-1 home win over FC Schalke 04, Joël Zwarts starting for the ailing David Otto.

In front of 10,003 fans at the Millerntor, both teams came flying out of the traps and looked to get forward at every opportunity. Chances remained at a premium, however, despite the high-octane opening. The first meaningful attempt on goal came in the 14^th minute when Leart Paqarada wrongfooted Jan-Niklas Beste and dispatched a cross into the middle towards Guido Burgstaller, whose header flew a couple of metres wide of the right-hand upright. The Austrian striker was in the spotlight again ten minutes later when Scott Kennedy misjudged a long ball forward from Paqarada, allowing Burgstaller to pull the trigger from close range. It was a tight angle, though, and Regensburg custodian Alexander Meyer was able to smother the shot.

The Boys in Brown hogged the possession, but the league leaders remained a constant threat and fashioned their first opportunity on 28 when Jan-Niklas Beste met Sarpreet Singh's cross on the volley. Nikola Vasilj made a comfortable save, however. The Schultz XI then moved into overdrive and were soon creating chances at will. First, Meyer gathered a Jakov Medić header from a corner, and then Finn Ole Becker and Guido Burgstaller combined to carve out an opening for Simon Makienok. The Dane pulled the trigger from just inside the area, only to see his shot go wide of the right-hand upright. Makienok thought he had scored 60 seconds later, but Burgstaller had drifted into an offside position when he directed Daniel-Kofi Kyereh's shot towards goal in the run-up, and the referee correctly chalked it off.

Moments later Jannes Wieckhoff delivered a cross into the middle and Marcel Hartel tried his luck with a horizontal bicycle kick – to no avail, as the ball flew well over the top. Wieckhoff then had a hand in what was the best chance of the game to that point. Becker intelligently allowed the youngster's cutback to go through his legs for Kyereh to shoot, but Erik Wekesser was perfectly placed to block the goalbound effort. Wieckhoff then went for goal himself from range, but Meyer was again alert to the danger. Kyereh fired over from distance soon afterwards and Makienok headed just wide from a corner. A hatful of chances, then, but it remained scoreless at the break.

While the Boys in Brown came out unchanged for the second half, the visitors opted to introduce Carlo Boukhalfa for Max Besuschkow. The substitution had no impact on the pattern of the game, however, with the Schultz XI pushing forward from the off. Four minutes in, Makienok threw himself at a James Lawrence cross, only to direct his header over the crossbar from close range. It remained a high-intensity affair with neither side giving an inch. The Boys in Brown continued to apply the pressure, with Lawrence feeding Kyereh, who left Steve Breitkreuz for dead before arrowing a drive past the angle from just outside the box on the hour.

The visitors struggled to escape the St. Pauli stranglehold and whenever they did so they foundered on the rocks of a solid home defence, as when Beste collected the ball just inside his own half and drove forward before pulling the trigger from range. Vasilj was wise to it, however, and made a comfortable save. Timo Schultz then made a double substitution, throwing on Rico Benatelli and Christian Viet for Finn Ole Becker and Jannes Wieckhoff. Moments later, Beste got in behind the back four and popped up unmarked in front of Vasilj, but his lob from the edge of the box sailed well wide of the goal.

Urged on by the home support, the Boys in Brown pushed forward again in search of a goal as the game entered the closing stages. And finally, it came! Moments after Burgstaller had seen a shot smack against the foot of the post, all the frustration dissipated when Kyereh forced his way into the penalty area from the left and cut the ball back to Burgstaller, who made no mistake this time. Though Meyer got a hand to the shot, he could not prevent the ball from finding the far corner! One-nil! At last!

The visitors responded by trying to up the pressure, but the Boys in Brown defended stoutly as a unit and, when in possession, continued to get the ball forward intelligently. Their bravery was soon rewarded. For in what was almost a carbon copy of the opening goal, Kyereh got down the left and pulled the ball back for Burgstaller to sidefoot past Meyer and put the result beyond doubt! A brace for the Austrian, who promptly exited the Millerntor stage to a warm round applause of the home fans. The rest of his teammates received the ovation they deserved when the final whistle went soon afterwards, fitting recognition for a superb performance against the previously unbeaten table toppers and the third home win in succession.

FC St. Pauli

Vasilj - Wieckhoff (Viet 67'), Medić, Lawrence, Paqarada (Ritzka 90'+1) - Aremu, Becker (Benatelli 67'), Hartel, Kyereh (Irvine 90') - Burgstaller (Dittgen 90'), Makienok

Head coach: Timo Schultz

SSV Jahn Regensburg

Meyer - Faber (Saller 87'), Breitkreuz, Kennedy, Wekesser - Beste (Caliskaner 82'), Besuschkow (Boukhalfa 46'), Gimber, Singh (Makridis 82') - Zwarts (George 58'), Albers

Head coach: Mersad Selimbegović

Goals: 1-0 Burgstaller (74'), 2-0 Burgstaller (89')

Yellow cards: Burgstaller – Singh

Referee: Sven Waschitzki (Essen)

Attendance: 10,003

Photos: Witters