FC St. Pauli

Sunday's trip to Regensburg is the club's 15^th away game of the calendar year. Points have been hard to come by for the Boys in Brown on their travels this year, however. The 1-0 win at eventually promoted SC Paderborn in early March is their only success on the road. The remaining 12 away games have produced four draws and eight defeats.

The Boys in Brown will not want to return home empty-handed on Sunday afternoon, then, but they are up against a Regensburg side who are another good season. At this stage last term, they had 19 points to their name, and two years ago it was 22. This season, Mersad Selimbegović, who succeeded Achim Beierlorzer at the helm in summer and has built on the foundations laid by his predecessor, has guided his side to 20 points.

Jahn slipped to a 4-1 defeat at Karlsruhe last week to end an unbeaten seven-game run. Speaking in the run-up to Sunday's game, Regensburg captain Marco Grüttner said his side would have to show a "different side" to themselves if they were to return to winning ways. "We have to work hard and then St. Pauli will pay," he added.

Jos Luhukay, for his part, said his team had to start believing again. Start believing in themselves and their own brand of football. The Boys in Brown have not won a game since the 2-0 defeat of Sandhausen ten weeks ago. Since then, they have drawn three and lost four. The 1-0 home defeat against Hannover 96 last week was primarily down to a lack of bite in attack rather than any defensive failings (with the exception of the goal). The Boys in Brown proved unable to unlock a compact Hannover defence. "We've lost our way," said a disappointed Marvin Knoll afterwards.

Sunday's game will therefore about being willing to fight for every ball and then, when the time comes, having the footballing means to land the decisive blow. The Boys in Brown need to believe in that, and in themselves, if they are to take something from the final away game of the season. 

Photos: Witter