FC St. Pauli

Head coach Markus Kauczinski made three changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Dynamo Dresden last time out. Jan-Philipp Kalla was handed his first start of the season at left-back in place of the injured Daniel Buballa (partial LCL tear in his ankle). Fit-again Johannes Flum came in for Marvin Knoll (hamstring) to partner Jeremy Dudziak in holding midfield, while Mats Moller Dæhli (bruised knee) dropped to the bench to be replaced by Henk Veerman. The Dutchman led the line with Sami Allagui playing off his shoulder.

Both teams went into the game aiming to stay in touch with the league leaders and it was the Boys in Brown who registered the first attempt on goal after just 34 seconds when Veerman fired narrowly off target. Five minutes later Dudziak directed a long ball towards Ryo Miyaichi on the left. The Japan international cleverly angled a crossfield pass to Allagui, who raced into the box and pulled the trigger from a tight angle, only for Bochum keeper Manuel Riemann to turn it round the post.

Bochum enjoyed the lion's share of the possession early on but Kauczinski's side, backed by more than 2,000 travelling fans, defended solidly and gave little away at the back. Tim Hoogland went close with a free-kick on 14 and the ball did find the net moments later, but at the other end of the field! Luca Zander dispatched a textbook cross into the middle and Allagui powered a downward header into the net from seven metres to give his side the lead.

The action continued apace, and Bochum almost hit back immediately. Lukas Hinterseer threaded a pass through to Görkem Saglam, who fired into the side netting with just Robin Himmelmann to beat. Three minutes later Christopher Avevor nodded wide from a Dudziak free-kick and then Bochum's Sidney Sam unleashed a drive from just outside the area that proved no problem for Himmelmann.

Bochum continued to pin the Boys in Brown back in their own half, but the defence held firm. Anthony Losilla headed a corner well over on 33 but two minutes Hinterseer made no such mistake, drilling a seemingly harmless ball from Saglam into the net with the aid of the far post. Dudziak responded by hitting a free-kick over the top from some way out. Soon after, Allagui knocked a super ball to Miyaichi who in taking the ball round Riemann was brought down, leaving the referee no choice but to award a penalty. Allagui stepped up and went for the bottom right corner, only for Riemann to get a block on it, but Veerman latched onto the loose ball and smashed it into the net to restore the advantage.

Sami Allagui (right) gets away from marker Tim Hoogland.

Neither side made a change at the break and once again the Boys in Brown hit the ground running. Veerman and Dudziak moved the ball forward straight from the kick-off and after playing a neat one-two with the Dutchman the midfielder went for goal with just seven seconds on the clock, only to see his effort saved by Riemann. Bochum remained a constant threat and when Sam pulled the trigger from just inside the area, the ball took a slight deflection and flew just wide of the far post.

The next chance in a free-flowing game fell to Waldemar Sobota, who tried his luck from distance. After taking a slight deflection, the ball fizzed narrowly past the angle. The chances then dried out for a while, but it remained a high-quality contest with no quarter given by either side. Bochum gradually cranked up the pressure, but for all their possession they were unable to capitalise.

After 69 minutes the Boys in Brown launched a rapid counterthrust in which Allagui spread the ball wide to Miyaichi, who found Veerman with a long pass. The Dutchman brought the ball under control and pulled the trigger, but the shot flew well over. Sam then headed wide from Stefano Celozzi's cross. With the game entering the final quarter of an hour, Kauczinski made a double substitution, introducing Ersin Zehir for Johannes Flum and Mats Møller Dæhli for Miyaichi in quick succession.

Bochum almost conjured up an equaliser with 12 minutes left when Weilandt picked out substitute Silvere Ganvoula, but Himmelmann produced a fantastic save to keep out the header. The home side upped the pace again and Ganvoula tried his luck from range. Thankfully, his aim was too high. Kauczinski's side defended with man and mouse and could have settled it on the counter when Veerman broke clear and dinked the ball over Riemann, only to see the ball roll agonisingly wide of the left-hand upright. And at the other end they were fortunate not to concede another equaliser when Sam guided a Weilandt pass a whisker off target.

The Boys in Brown finally put the game to bed four minutes from time. Bernd Nehrig, who had only just come on, sent Veerman on his way and the lanky centre-forward squared the ball unselfishly for Møller Dæhli to tap home. Kalla then denied Weilandt and Hinterseer in quick succession before the referee blew his whistle one last time to ensure the Boys in Brown could return to Hamburg with all three points in the bag.

VfL Bochum

Riemann - Celozzi, Gyamerah, Hoogland, Danilo - Losilla, Tesche - Weilandt, Saglam (Ganvoula 66'), Sam - Hinterseer

Head coach: Robin Dutt

FC St. Pauli

Himmelmann - Zander, Ziereis, Avevor, Kalla - Flum (Zehir 74'), Dudziak - Miyaichi (Møller Dæhli 75'), Allagui (Nehrig 83'), Sobota - Veerman

Head coach: Markus Kauczinski

Goals: 0-1 Allagui (15'), 1-1 Hinterseer (35') 1-2 Veerman (42'), 1-3 Møller Dæhli (86')

Yellow card: Riemann, Weilandt – Zander, Ziereis (5^th of the season, suspended against Fürth)

Referee: Benedikt Kempkes

Attendance: 22,916

Photos: Witters