FC St. Pauli

Impressive start

With three games of the 2019-20 season gone, VfB Lübeck sit second in the Regionalliga Nord level on points with reigning champions VfL Wolfsburg II and two ahead of Werder Bremen II. Rolf Martin Landerl's side have made a perfect start, winning all three matches. A 3-1 defeat of SSV Jeddeloh on the opening day was followed by a 2-1 win at Altona 93 and a 2-0 victory over Lüneburger SK.

Impressive runs

Lübeck haven't lost a competitive game in almost eight months since the 2-1 defeat at Holstein Kiel II on 17 November 2018. At home, they haven't been beaten since 24 March 2018, i.e. almost 17 months ago, when HSV II came away 2-0 victors. Landerl's side thus remained unbeaten last season, something no other team in the top four divisions was able to do. With 13 wins and four draws, Lübeck boasted the best home record in the league last term. They go into Sunday's tie on the back of seven games without a defeat in which they have scored 19 goals, an average of 2.7 per game.

Impressive attack

A look at last season's statistics shows how dangerous Lübeck are in front of goal. Our opponents notched a total of 70 goals, the highest return apart from Wolfsburg II. Centre-forward Daniel Franziskus accounted for 14 of those goals and made another three but has been labouring with a knee injury for several months. This season his strike partner Patrick Hobsch has stepped up to the plate, scoring in all three league games so far. The Boys in Brown will thus need to keep a close eye on the No34.

Mediocre record

Lübeck have failed to pull off an upset in the DFB Cup in recent seasons, falling at the first hurdle on each of their last four appearances (2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016). They did reach the second round twice before that, going out after extra-time against VfB Stuttgart in 2009 and on penalties against Wacker Burghausen in 2006. Lübeck's best run in the cup came back in 2004 when they progressed as far as the semi-finals, only to succumb in extra-time against eventual double winners Werder Bremen.

Early reunion

The last meeting between the two sides is not too long ago. Goals from Vegar Eggen Hedenstad (16'), Sören Gonther (61') and Marvin Ducksch (88') eased the Boys in Brown to a 3-0 win in the first round of the DFB Cup on 19 August 2016.

All change

While 12 members of the current St. Pauli squad were with the club in 2016, much more has changed at VfB. Head coach Rolf Martin Landerl (at the helm since 2016, having previously played for the club from 2009 to 2011) and midfielder Marvin Thiel (joined in 2014, pictured above) are the only survivors of that day.

Photo: Witters