Matchday 19: FC Sankt Pauli – Karlsruher SC 1-2

Suckeeerrr!

source: http://www.welt.de

Ack! Unexpected slap in the back of the neck yesterday evening with the Boys in Brown losing 1-2 at home to Karlsruher SC, in a game that we were all along the dominant squad but our opponents, being more focused and smarter than us in the pitch, managed to steal, leaving victorious from Millerntor and leaving Ewald Lienen at the press conference complaining (justifiably maybe) about the referee. Not the best way to end 2015, let’s get over the details a little…

 

Didn’t see this coming. Nobody was predicting a kick-ass evening in Millerntor but most predictions were talking about something between a draw and a “professional” victory, knowing that KSC is always a tough squad and aware of the statistics which were indicating a quite closed game. For some reason, perhaps pure FCSP optimism, defeat was not in the menu, having forgot that some of our unluckiest moments this season have happened at home…

Game on with the Boys in Brown taking the initiative right from the beginning and looking like the boss in the game. First incident for the Boys in Brown with 8′ in the game and Thy’s shot being stopped by Stoll to corner at the very last moment, in a situation that maybe could be awarded also as a penalty, especially if Thy was choosing to dive instead of shoot (glad he didn’t). FCSP was looking like the team that will sooner or later unlock the game, being all around KSC’s box which were patiently waiting in discipline, closing the gaps and “examining options”. Another good one for FCSP on 21′ – good football, with ball ending up to Choi inside the box, having back to the net, who lost the ball surrounded by KSC defenders but fortuntely Maier’s intervention pushed the ball to Thy for a shot from an acute angle that was saved to corner by Vollath – Hell 🙂 New and BIG FCSP chance on 23′ when Buchtmann found himself all alone in front of Vollath but wasted the ball trying to pass it over the KSC keeper and GOOOOOAAAALLL on 24′!!! Nehrig the person responsible, with a long poisonous shot, coming from 20something meters slightly to the left looking the net, ball bounced under diving Vollath’s left arm, who came too late to the rescue, and rest deep inside his left corner! Thumbs up also for Choi here and his BIG parallel ball to the other side of the field during the beginning of the counter attack. 1-0 for FCSP, game unlocked, everything was looking our way and new chance for FCSP on 27′ with a new 20m Maier shot, result of a really fast FCSP counter attack, ending up just by Vollath’s right post! KSC mobilized after the initial shock and after 30′ started progressively crossing the center of the field, moving the game closer to Himmelmann than Vollath. Nobody paid attention and the price was paid with the equalizer by Torres on 37′, result of an overall FCSP defensive malfunction as our entire defense was caught by surprise when the ref awarded the advantage to the foul commited outside the box and reacted with a delay that wasn’t forgiven by KSC. The Boys in Brown immediately moved immediatelly forward to “restore order”, approaching actually the 2nd goal on 39′ but Nehrig’s direct shot outside the box, result of excellent teamwork, was denied by Vollath who saved again to a corner. Another unsuccessful 11m header by Nehrig (rabid yesterday!) on 41′ and the half time whistle. FCSP 1 – KSC 1 in a half that completely belonged to us and ended up even thanks to our one and only momentary loss of concentration…Scum highlight of the 1st half: me, arguing moments before the equalizer something like “people, I feel already safe not only because we’re playing good but also because these guys look completely incapable of threating us tonight” 😀

Nehrig has just done it 🙂 (source: http://www.abendblatt.de)

Back in action for the 2nd half with the Boys in Brown looking determined to regain the lead here. We came really close on 54′ with Gonther’s header which passed only centinemeters by Vollath’s right post (he couldn’t do shit here!) and we came even closer on 57′ with another header, from Thy this time, who ended up bouncing on Vollath’s left post (another penalty could be awarded here on Diamantakos‘ expense) but both times luck wasn’t on our side…1-1 remained and by 60’ KSC had balanced the game, leading it to a standstill. Shock came on 71′, at the moment we were all waiting for the final FCSP offense that will lead to victory…Distant free kick for KSC from the right, ball deep in our box and everything went wrong from here – a parallel to the net header where 3 KSC players were all alone and no brown shirt to be found, ball fortunately didn’t go in (hit Himmelmann’s left post) but on the rebound were again only white shirts around and Himmelmann on the ground trying desperately to avoid emerging fate – finally, Diamantakos was the one to push the ball inside from zero distance (and offside position) with the entire FCSP defense watching penetrated…This was decisive, FCSP who has already proven beyond any doubt that we are in a position to play good football, instead of doing this, for the remaiining 20′ of the game tried to break the KSC defense in the most unorthodox way possible with blind long deep balls, hoping that a head will interfere and something will happen. Our guests, who had already managed to turn upside down a very unpleasant situation, had no problem dealing with such kind of pressure, the only threats they faced took place during injury time (90+2′), a Buballa long suicide shot, saved to corner again by Vollath and a Sobiech header over the crossbar after the subsequent corner. They could even score a third in the counter attack with Nazarov but didn’t happen, wouldn’t make a difference anyway…Full time whistle didn’t take long, KSC succesfully escaped from Millerntor, leaving everybody stunned except maybe their wild partying guest supporting block…

Shit… (image source: http://www.vavel.com)

Aaah, this is a real pity 😦 A game well played for the most part lost only because of two moments that we lost focus, allowing KSC to escape with the 3pts while having actually created only 2 situations in the game. This may looks unfair but in the end is just football. KSC didn’t destroy the game, they were very organized backwards, very careful with the flow of the game, quite lucky (of course) and extremely effective. this game actually reminded me these completely-against-logic victories of the Greek national team back, in Euro 2004 😀 Ewald Lienen on the other hand, sounded very annoyed with the decisions of the referee during yesterday’s press conderence. Technically he is right but I think that if the press conference was taking place today instead of yesterday, he wouldn’t look so annoyed regarding these decisions either – perhaps this has to do with his bad reflexes, remains of his bad experiences back from the time he was involved for a living in Greek corrupted football 😀 Seriously, ref was bad but shit happens. Most of the doubtful situations were marginal and, hey, for every penalty not awarded to Thy, there’s maybe another one that wasn’t awarded to our opponets, like the one that MAYBE Alushi did last week for example 😉

The good thing is that, with the exception of the last 20′ and this only in terms of organization, squad was good yesterday and, in my humble opinion, the boys really deserve the applause. And you know something? Having just finished with 2015, even in the case that they were shit yesterday, they deserve our applause for everything they have achieved (starting at the beginning of March) during a year that started like a real fuckin’ nightmare and ends in a much much different way 🙂 Team not only safe but still on the promotion chase, something just nice to have, at least the way we see things down there. And for anyone more demanding, best things lie ahead, this squad has potential, if nothing changes in the department, is just a matter of time for these boys to grow up and mature along with the team – just be patient and enjoy football 😉

And now??? Now the bitter-sweet feeling of the winter break. For sure, sweet for the squad who will have the chance to slow down a little, relax and reorganize while the boys will have a little more time for family, loved ones and friends, always good for the overall balance 😉 A little more complicated for us (we’re junkies, remember?) but on the other hand is the annual routine, we will find our pace as usual after the first, awkward without FCSP, weekend 🙂 Happy holidays everybody, FORZA SANKT PAULI!!!

Line Up:

Himmelmann

Hornschuh L. Sobiech Gonther Buballa

Nehrig (Verhoek 83′) Alushi

Maier Choi (Picault 65′) Buchtmann

Thy

Match goals:

1-0 Nehrig (23′, Right foot shot, Maier)

1-1 Torres (37′, Right foot shot, Barry)

1-2 Diamantakos (71′, Right heel, Meffert)

Spectators: 29546 (sold out)

Sankt Pauli cards: Gonther(3)

Match highlights

Further reading:

• Kicker (German)
• Official website (German)
• Official website photo gallery
• Vavel
• USP Photo Gallery
• Hamburg ist Braun Weiss (German)
• Millerntor.Hamburg (German)
• Beebleblox (German)
• Hamburg ist Braun Weiss (German)
• Grenzenlos Sankt Pauli (German)
• Der Übersteiger (German)
• Nice Guys Sankt Pauli (German)
• Kleiner Tod (German)