FC St. Pauli

Head coach Fabian Hürzeler: "We started well and knew Paderborn would come at us rather than simply sit back and try to hit us on the break. We took some time to see what positioning we needed and where the space was for us to play into. The disallowed goal was the start signal for us and we found better solutions after that. We knocked the ball around nicely at times and took a deserved lead. A second before the break would have calmed things down but we came out and got it straight after the break. Then there was a change in momentum that's common in football but shouldn't happen to us. We made too many mistakes and one of them led to them pulling one back. Paderborn then pressed us up front and we lost our composure and our stability, it has to be said. We have to find clearer solutions in phases like that. Paderborn had a good chance to equalise but Nikola Vasilj produced a good save. The game turned back in our favour after the sending-off and we were worth the win in the end."

Marcel Hartel: "We played very well and dominated the first half, both in attack and in defence, and took a thoroughly deserved lead. The goal was a lovely move from front to back. I collected the ball, took a quick look up and decided instinctively to dink it. We started the second half well and had some good attacking moments in the 15 minutes after the break, but Paderborn came at us and we were a little unsure of ourselves. We weren't as tidy in our play as we had been and we have to learn the lessons from that. The sending-off did us a favour. We're on a very good path and are just a few short steps from achieving our dream. If we keep going on this path, the dream can come true."

Hauke Wahl: "It's often the case at the Millerntor that we start well and have a good opportunity after just a few seconds and that always gives you a good feeling right away. We were straight into the tackles and our gegenpressing was superb in the first half. It was just a matter of time until we scored. The first-half performance was very good but after the break it was a strange game and a bit sluggish. Paderborn pulled one back out of the blue and we put ourselves needlessly into a situation where they had another opportunity and could have equalised. The sending-off played into our hands. We have to take a close look at the second half and do things much better next week. Nothing can take the place of winning."

Lars Ritzka: "I can still feel the injury a bit. I trained during the week and felt good. I always try to go flat out and stake a claim. In the second half we had a phase where we perhaps dropped off a little and lacked intensity. It's tough against any side then and Paderborn have quality. The sending-off played into our hands a little but it was a good team performance. When I was posing for the goal celebration photos before the start of the season I said I probably wouldn't need them that often. I don't care who scores. I'm just happy for the team."

Photos: Witters