FC St. Pauli

Head coach Olaf Janssen made four changes to the side that drew 2-2 with Dynamo Dresden in the league last week. Philipp Heerwagen replaced Robin Himmelmann in goal, while Jan-Philipp Kalla, Cenk Sahin and Maurice Litka came in for Jeremy Dudziak, Waldemar Sobota and Sami Allagui.

The game kicked off in optimum conditions. And as Janssen had predicted, the home side, unbeaten in 12 matches in all competitions, stifled the Boys in Brown with their quick pressing game. Goalscoring opportunities remained a rarity in the opening stages, as the tackles flew in thick and fast. Heerwagen was called into action for the first time on the quarter hour, defusing a long-range effort from Sven Michel at the second attempt.

Three minutes later Litka whipped in a low cross to Aziz Bouhaddouz, but he missed the target by some distance. The Moroccan was in the thick of things again almost immediately. When Sahin delivered an exquisite cross from the right the striker rose unmarked in front of goal – and headed a couple of metres wide. After a ten-minute lull in the action Sahin chested down a headed layoff from Bouhaddouz and smacked a volley wide by a similar distance.

After an even beginning Janssen's side began to have the better of things, though Paderborn kept pushing forward bravely. But with the Boys in Brown keeping things tight at the back, the third division's most potent strike force (14 goals in four games) were unable to create any meaningful chances. They did go close in the 39^th minute, however, when Michel dispatched a low ball across the face of the goal and Dennis Srbeny only narrowly failed to get a decisive toe on it. Two minutes later Paderborn went ahead. Massih Wassey pulled the trigger from outside the box and the ball flew past Heerwagen's despairing dive into the top-left corner.

Mats Møller Dæhli under challenge from Massih Wassey, who gave the home side the lead just before the break.

Janssen made two changes for the second half, introducing Dudziak and Sobota for Kalla and Litka. His side had to score at least once but it was the home side who had a great chance to extend their lead on 51. Michel slipped a pass through to Ben Zolinski, who was denied by a fine save from Heerwagen.

FCSP responded with an attack of their own and the ball eventually found its way to Sobota, whose first-time low shot was held by Michael Ratajczak in the Paderborn goal. The Boys in Brown stepped up the pressure, but with the home side continuing to keep them at bay, Janssen made his final substitution after 64 minutes, Allagui coming on for Sahin to increase the attacking threat.

A hectic few minutes ensued. When the ball was given away in midfield Wassey had two great chances to notch his second goal of the evening, but Heerwagen reacted brilliantly both times. Two minutes later Christian Strohdiek fired a shot into the side netting, and at the other end Bouhaddouz directed a left-foot shot past the far post.

In the 73^rd minute Janssen's charges were awarded a free-kick when Sebastian Schonlau handled the ball on the edge of the penalty area. Bouhaddouz stepped up and curled a filigree effort over the wall, only for Ratajczak to dive to his right to keep the ball out. Six minutes later the home side found a crucial second goal, however. Michel shrugged off two challenges in the box and knocked a perfect ball to Christopher Antwi-Adjej, who left Heerwagen no chance with a pinpoint shot into the bottom corner.

After Heerwagen had denied both Michel and Srbeny just before the end of regulation time, Allagui gave his side hope when he ran onto a long ball in behind the Paderborn defence and halved the deficit. After Buchtmann had had a shot blocked, a Sobota free-kick offered one last chance to grab an equaliser. Sobiech headed the ball back across goal to Allagui, who was unable to get a proper contact on the ball and the opportunity was gone.

SC Paderborn

Ratajczak - Boeder, Schonlau, Strohdiek, Herzenbruch - Zolinski (Bertels 62'), Krausse, Wassey, Antwi-Adjej (Geurts 85') - Srbeny, Michel

Head coach: Steffen Baumgart

FC St. Pauli

Heerwagen - Kalla (Dudziak 46'), Hornschuh, Sobiech, Buballa - Nehrig - Sahin (Allagui 64'), Buchtmann, Møller Dæhli, Litka (Sobota 46') - Bouhaddouz

Head coach: Olaf Janssen

Goals: 1-0 Wassey (41'), 2-0 Antwi-Adjej (79'), 2-1 Allagui (90'+1)

Yellow cards: Zolinski, Schonlau, Strohdiek

Referee: Florian Heft (Neuenkirchen)

Attendance: 15,000 (sold out)

Photos: Witters