FC St. Pauli

Four points from two games

Dynamo Dresden have collected a point more than we have in 2017. The Saxony outfit won 2-1 at Nürnberg in the opening game of the year, a victory that came at a price, however. More on that in our next fact. That win was followed by a scoreless draw against Union Berlin. Defeats for Hannover (4-1 at Fürth) and Braunschweig (2-1 against the Boys in Brown) meant that the gap to a promotion berth was cut to just four points.

No reunion with Gogia

In the Nürnberg game both Erich Berko and Akaki Gogia sustained injuries. Gogia, who played for FCSP in the 2012/13 season, has scored seven goals this term but is now ruled out by a high ankle sprain. That is a serious blow for Uwe Neuhaus's side, as the attacking midfielder is the second-best player in the league according to kicker Sportmagazin, with an average rating of 2.57 (1=high, 6=low).

Wachs returns from rehab

On 20 December last year Dresden defender Marc Wachs, 21, fell victim to a violent crime in a robbery in Wiesbaden and required emergency surgery. His aunt was killed during the raid and his uncle was seriously injured. Wachs, who was born in Wiesbaden, has received medical and psychological treatment in recent weeks and is set to return to Dresden next week. All the best on your road to recovery, Marc!

Impressive on promotion

After gaining promotion last term Dynamo have enjoyed a great campaign so far. They sit in fifth place with 31 points from 19 matches and their sights are now firmly set on promotion to the top flight. "Something like that can never come too early," Dresden coach Uwe Neuhaus told a Berlin newspaper. "If it happens, we have to go with it."

Translating possession into goals

Neuhaus, 57, is in his second season with Dresden. He guided the team to the third-division championship in his first year and things continue to go to plan a league higher, as a glance at the statistics reveals. With an average of 53.9 per cent per game, Dynamo see more of the ball than any other team in the division. And they defend this possession well, too. With just 21 goals conceded, the Dresden defence ranks among the best in the league.

Trend favours the Boys in Brown

There have been seven competitive fixtures between St. Pauli and Dynamo Dresden since the 2011/12 season – all of them in Bundesliga 2. The two sides have regularly swapped victories in recent years, so with the visitors having won the reverse fixture you could say it was our turn this time.


Photo: DFL