Matchday 01: FC Sankt Pauli – Arminia Bielefeld 0-0

Happy new season and keep fingers crossed

source: http://www.ndr.de

Aaah, been a while! Two months after the “adventurous” last season finale, luckily once again in the starting line of another Liga 2 season and there was no better way to celebrate it than the excellent yesterday’s Millerntor spectacle with 30.000 people (sold out, 29.546 tickets, new record with the completion of the new Nordkurve, inaugurated yesterday) welcoming the squad with a colossal banner display, occupying the entire stadion except the corner of the guest block. This was really a feast around the four lines, pity that the Boys in Brown couldn’t transfer the party inside the pitch. A lucky at the end clean sheet draw vs newcomers Arminia Bielefeld and seems (as probably the most expected) that again this will not be like a walk in the park… However, regardless performance and result, felt so good to have our Sankt Pauli back 🙂

 

50′ before the game, last connections, systems on, yes we have ourselves a season 🙂

A slightly different season start for the South End Scum. After 4 years in our first and beloved venue Cargo, yesterday was our very first time to our new one, Soridon, our home for the next season (actually for the next two at least but this as lons as we save the league – venue goes along with TV coverage 😉 ). A very friendly and cozy place, been there already for sometime but never “worked” with these people before 🙂 So, some of us were very early at the venue, even though equipment, with the exception of sound, had been already succesfully tested on Friday morning, in order to be there in case of any possible technical issue – anticipation of the first timer I suppose 🙂 Of course, everything was working just fine and soon it was only about welcoming comrades and friends, discussing FCSP and summer plans or experiences, having some good beer, a happy buzz in general until the BIG banners started unfolding at the terraces, catching everyone’s attention and officially signaling the new season 😀

Kick off for season and game with both squads trying to find their steps in the pitch and the first good opportunity for Arminia on 6′ with Müller charging in into the box from the left and firing a shot somewhere towards the New Nord. FCSP quickly started taking initiaitives, something we ought to to do, both as hosts and theoretically superior against the newcomers. More play towards Arminia’s end and a good visit on 15′ with Thy first, after a corner from the left, failing to finish from the heart of the box, under pressure by two, ball finally ending to Gonther whose 23m shot ended up a few meters over Hesl’s crossbar. Another good opportunity for FCSP on 18′ with Nehrig, after a corner from the right this time, winning a lot of people on the air but his header ending up unforunately right in Hesl’s arms. Boys in Brown were progressively looking like they’re getting confident and the progressively increased pressure towards Arminia, something that almost led to a serious fuck up for the guests on 25′ which was cleared to a corner and the biggest up to then chance for FCSP on 26′ with a Thy 8-9m shot, slightly to the right, being deflected to Salger’s leg before it ends up just over the crossbar, argh! Another attempt that never happened by Rzatkowski (31′) and…a chance for the guests on 34′ with Müller creating problems again from the left, this time from a much more acute angle, first crossing in and then regaining the ball, still from a bad angle but right in front of Himmelmann and from close distance – luckily, everything ended with a sidenetting. Nothing more worth to mention until the end, half time 0-0 with FCSP looking a little better in the pitch and leaving some promises for the 2nd half.

Half time Greek solidarity in the Süd

The supposed to be promising 2nd half, turned out a little different than we expected…Arminia got in the field less hesitant than the first half and game, instead of being clearly in favor of FCSP pressing for the opener, became quite balanced. However the first chance was for FCSP with Alushi managing after a lot of effort to fill a ball in the heart of the box where Sobiech, all alone, waiting the ball, aiming towards the net from 8m, did something that probably didn’t intend to do, ball ended up somewhere… TEMPORARY SHOCK on 60′ but Börner’s goal (first man to the ball after a distant free kick from the right) was called off by the ref who was completely vindicated by the TV replay…At this point we have the last 10′ of good play for FCSP, don’t imagine anything really fancy, one distant Maier shot saved to corner by Hesl (63′), a Halstenberg header over the crossbar after the corner that followed (64′) and another good one from Maier, a 20+m free kick, slightly to the right which found Hesl once more ready (70′). The closing 10′ of the game are a different story…Suddenly it started looking like Arminia was the only team with remaining physical strength and the will to win in the pitch and FCSP was just trying to hold on to the result… 83′: Deeeeeep diagonal forward ball from Arminia defense to Müller, who lifted the head and made the cross to Klos whose header found Himmelmann ready at the right spot, best chance for Arminia so far. 87′: Free kick for Arminia from the left, ball in, deflection to Junglas and INCREDIBLE save from Himmelmann right on the line, Skyman managed to gather the cross after the rebound as well and put a temporary end to the Horror… 90+2′: Another save from Robin Himmelmann (MVP of the match like at the summer test friendlies 🙂 ), saving the day in front of Mast at the edge of the keeper’s box… Full time FCSP 0 – Arminia 0 and salvation from the teeth of Arminia Bielefeld which with 5′ more on the clock could probably make us remembering very unpleasantly this day in the years to come.

The Boys in Brown (who really tried their best before they run out of breath (?)) say thanks to the full house Millerntor (source: http://www.radiohamburg.de)

Regarding the feelings: Despite the agony during the last 10′ of the game, this was a pure joy! Being reunited with friends for FCSP can’t be spoiled with a mediocre season start and fortunately the time is early enough to allow a big percent of optimism that, since we didn’t lose it completely last March, we’re for sure entitled to have 😀 Start of season is supposed to be about hope and positive energy, there’s a lot of time ahead to improve weaknesses, welcome back to our daily lives FC Sankt Pauli 😉

Regarding the squad: Hmmmmmm…OK, first of all, let put the basics in place. The Club management has put a big bet this season. This bet, at least the way I understand it, is keeping the Club financially healthy by limiting expenses and one way to do this is, instead of giving a lot of money to bring in “uncertain” contracts, to put some trust and give chances to some youngsters from the FCSP youth, something that in case that will work, will be double profit for the club, with a squad that will not cost a fortune and will be consisted by guys who are coming from within the FCSP family (and possibly match far more better the Club mentality) at the same time (a mention should be made here to our only real transfer this season, Ryō Miyaichi who got seriously injured at the beginning of the week – get well as soon as possible boy, heads up!). Full respect to the plan and I’m crossing fingers so that everything will go well but, if we can make any conclusions out of yeserday’s game, smells trouble here… Of course, it’s really up to the experts, Ewald Lienen, Thomas Meggle and the rest of the crew, to adjust and improve things and both respect and trust to them are considered obvious. Still, even an unexperienced eye could see yesterday, during the last 10′ of the game a squad looking exhausted and trying hard to hold on at home against…Arminia Bielefeld – no disrespect to Arminia but for sure you expect some better performance at home against an opponent that just made it up from the lower league, whoever the name – there’s no problem with the 0-0 but we should be the ones desperetaly pressing for the goal, not them. If this is an issue of physical condition, sounds really annoying because this can’t be easily fixed while the season is running, let’s hope not… On the other side, the Boys in Brown really tried – they were never very good but they pushed the game, they may got at the ropes after 80′ but they were in the drivers seat until then…and, as already said, it’s early enough in the season and at this point when almost all Clubs are still forming up, there’s a lot of space for rapid improvement 😉

…beginning hopefully next week with an opponent that actually, when considering last season, the only way when facing him is up, simply because it can get worse than last year! It’s an away trip to play Karslruher SC (Sunday, 15:30 CET), a squad that last year really chopped us, 0-4 at home and 3-0 away…We (here at the Scum) have no idea of their current shape, the only thing we know is what everybody knows, that they lost this weekend 1-0 to Fürth. No predictions then, it’s just optimism and momentum for us, C’mooooooooooooon FCSP!!!

Line Up:

Himmelmann

Nehrig (Kalla 72′) Gonther L. Sobiech Halstenberg

Alushi, Rzatkowski,

Sobota (Choi 66′) Maier Buballa (Verhoek 70′) 

Thy

Match goals:

N/A

Spectators: 29546 (sold out)

Sankt Pauli cards: Gonther(1), Kalla(1)

Pre match entire stadium choreo 🙂

Further reading:

• Kicker (German)
• Grenzenlos Sankt Pauli (German)
• St. Pauli Club Zena (Italian)
• USP Photo Gallery
• pathos’ Blutgrätsche (German)
• Outside Left
• Der Übersteiger (German)
• Kleiner Tod (German)

 

PS: R.I.P. Quote…

Last Thursday 16/7 was a very sad day for the FCSP fan community as Quote (a.k.a Peter Schmidt), member of our dear friends Desorganisierte Sankt Pauli passed away after some gutsy fight against cancer… Even though that I personally rarely knew the man (only spoken once or twice actually), news here sounded sadder that I could ever imagine… Maybe because of his reputation which was always ahead of him or maybe because of the excellent example of strength that he provided while he was sharing on the social media his fight until the bitter end, having as only weapons a “Sankt Pauli fans gegen Rechts” t-shirt and a smile…

R.I.P. once more Quote, again our deepest condolences to his club, DSP…