FC St. Pauli

Markus Kauczinski opted to go with a back three for the first time this season, with wing-backs Daniel Buballa and Yiyoung Park dropping back to form a back five whenever possession was lost. Defensive organiser Lasse Sobiech returned to the side along with Johannes Flum and Jan-Marc Schneider. 

Both sides wasted no time exchanging pleasantries and got straight down to business in a cracking atmosphere at the Millerntor. With just two minutes gone, Sobiech tested Union custodian Daniel Mesenhöler with a header from a Christopher Buchtmann free-kick. The visitors mustered their first effort on goal nine minutes later when leading scorer Steven Skrzybski took advantage of a Christopher Avevor slip and strode upfield, only to see his shot strike the upright.

The game ebbed and flowed until Sami Allagui sent Buchtmann clear just before the half-hour. The midfielder dinked a shot over the onrushing keeper but could only look on as Toni Leistner scampered back to hook the ball clear before it could cross the line. At the other end former St. Pauli man Dennis Daube capitalised on a wayward pass in midfield and took the ball round Robin Himmelmann, but fortunately Christopher Avevor got back in time to clear off the line.

Christopher Avevor clears the danger with Robin Himmelmann beaten.

Union made the brighter start after the interval and the Boys in Brown had another lucky escape in the 50^th minute when Simon Hedlund rifled a left-foot shot against the crossbar. Two minutes later Sobiech stepped in to divert a Marc Torrejon header round the post for a corner. Kauczinski's side eventually managed to escape the visitors' stranglehold and when Buchtmann tracked back to win possession on 55, he was brought down from behind by Marvin Friedrich. The young centre-back had already been cautioned, leaving the referee no choice but to send him off. A man to the good, the Boys in Brown marched upfield and Allagui dispatched a shot a whisker past the far post.

The quality of the game seemed to suffer after the sending-off, unfortunately, as Union dropped back and made it difficult for the Boys in Brown to capitalise on their numerical advantage. Instead, it was Hedlund who struck in clinical fashion with ten minutes left, driving a low shot into the net to give his side the lead after his initial attempt had been blocked. Kauczinski threw everything at it in the closing stages, making attacking substitutions and ordering Sobiech to get himself forward. But it was all to no avail, and the ten men from the capital hung on to secure all three points.

FC St. Pauli

Himmelmann – Ziereis, Sobiech, Avevor – Park (Sahin 84'), Flum, Buballa – Møller Dæhli (Neudecker 79'), Buchtmann – Schneider (Bouhaddouz 71'), Allagui

Head coach: Markus Kauczinski

FC Union Berlin

Mesenhöler – Torrejon, Leistner, Friedrich – Trimmel, Kroos, Fürstner (Redondo 90'+3), Pedersen – Hedlund (Kurzweg 88'), Daube (Hartel 74') Skrzybski

Head coach: André Hofschneider

Goals: 0-1 Hedlund (80')

Yellow cards: Buballa, Sahin – Kroos, Hartel

Red card (second yellow): Friedrich (persistent foul play 56')

Referee: Daniel Schlager

Attendance: 29,546 (sold out)

Photos: Witters