Matchday 31: FC Sankt Pauli vs Erzgebirge Aue 2-1

At least, we won…

The ice cold look on Henk‘s face, instead of a celebration, following 2-0, summarizes the problem in rough lines. This goes towards Jos and, at least to me, looks like an “Up yours” look. We have read thousands of lines speaking advance tactics etc. You can find lots of useful football stuff in there but there’s one thing you will not find. How the failure of one in gaining respect and inspiring people can convert a football team to a troupe. Good thing is that we won anyway and survival (not the promotion that was the promise and the bar) seems secured…

 

Kickoff in the known lately ice cold (as Veerman‘s look 😇) Milerntor with not much happening, especially from our side. First chance of the game for Aue on 10′ with a Krüger header that sidenetted to the left of Himmelmann (was in full control). The first REAL chance was again for Aue on 18′ with a Nazarov direct and poisonous volley from within killing range in the box that fortunately ended just above Himmelmann‘s post. First half of the first half was more about Aue in general, something that changed on 22′ when, at the end of one of the very few attemps that we had towards creating anything, Diamantakos exploited in the best possible way Ohlsson‘s onslaught and cross from the left, leaving Männel frozen as a statue and opening the score – BAMMM! 1-0 FCSP out of the blue! Goal shocked Aue, game became more balanced and while Aue was trying to recover, we almost scored the 2nd on 32′. Diamantakos again the culprit, with a shot just outside the box facing the net that missed the target (over the crossbar) for less than half a meter, ARGH! Danger for FCSP on 38′ when Östigard with a brilliant tackle prevented the worst in front of Krüger (Zulechner was waiting for an almost certain goal). AGAIN danger for FCSP on 40′ with a Cacutalua shot similar to the one on 18′ and GOAL for FCSP on 42′! Penney cross from the right, ball to Veerman, control and (not the most elegant) finish for the 2-0. Veerman‘s look towards the bench already discussed, a few more at the end… Not really good football for FCSP but with our attackers in a really good day seemed to be enough at the moment for Aue who was caught twice with the pants down. Aue defense in shambles and a chance to lock the game on 45+1′ with a penalty awarded after Rasmussen bringing down (not sure about that) Zander. Diamantakos took the ball, set it up and missed his 2nd penalty in a row (45+2′). Nothing more except Veerman and Luhukay having words on the way to the tunnel…

Diamantakos has just opened the score (source: http://www.fcstpauli.com, ©️ Witters)

Never safe with FCSP, 2nd half was expected with increased interest. FCSP started looking good but on 54′ everybody’s blood froze when Cacutalua with a bouncing header, all alone, into the keeper’s box, missed an almost certain one… Aue was trying to get back in business but was unable to find ways to break through, something that changed with a double substitution on 66′, from this point they started becoming really dangerous. Double chance on 70′, initially with a powerful Cacutalua shot from outside the box that Himmelmann repelled and a small chaos taking place in our box on after the rebound and when their goal came on 74′ by…Gonther (header after a corner from the right) it felt like it was coming… Aue tried to go even further but it was more about just controlling the game than creating real distress, more about minor situations. A couple of good ones during additional time, one for us with an excellent Coordes solo from the left who converged into the box, reached close to Männel but didn’t succeed in his final pass (90+2′) and the last one for them with a Testroet shot from a good position but relatively acute angle getting repelled by Himmelmann (90+4′). FT 2-1, all good, at least when comes to result and points.

source: http://www.fcstpauli.com, ©️ Witters

Good news first and there are some indeed. First of all the victory that bring us at 38 pts (sound and are much better than what 13th place suggests). We needed this one bad, now, with 3 matchdays left, a single point could signify the end of operation “Klasseneralt” and it may not be needed at all. Furthermore and for the lovers of stats, this was our very first win at home vs Aue, we had only one away back in 2013. Aye, defense also looked good 😎

Everything else, just misery… A result flattering for the football we played overall, a football that had once more nothing to do with the attractive footbal promised when Luhukay arrived and a team that doesn’t even enjoys being a team. Henk‘s reaction has its own significance, he’s the last in a line of many that have “issues” with that miserable man who criminilized friendships in the dressing rooms but he’s also a guy who, unlike others, has gone through thick or thin (there were lots of both) always with a smile and a positive attitude, a true gent. Wouldn’t be surprising if Diamantakos was doing it (we’re Greeks, we understand the temper 😆) but when Veerman reacts this way, it’s a different story… Control has been lost long ago and not even having secured the league (instead of promotion, another empty promise and one that as Scum we don’t really care after all) sounds as sweet as usual. The perspective of having this person on our bench next season can inspire only negativity, even if we manage to go again Bundesliga with this guy, there would have been no Sankt Pauli left in the dressing rooms by then, even though the most possible scenario looks the other way…

Whatever, let’s keep for now the 3pts and the break of the curse and see what’s next. It’s Hannover away this Wednesday, a club that we have a tradition against them as bad as we had with Aue, only one away victory and this one in Bundesliga (2010). Looks much less stressful than this one, let’s hope that this will help us maybe play some good football as well, FORZA SANKT PAULI ☠️☠️☠️

Line Up:

source: http://www.kicker.de

Subs:

Coordes for Penney (46′)

Benatelli for Viet (59′)

Gyökeres for Diamantakos (80′)

Knoll for Becker (85′)

Tashchy for Veerman (85′)

Match goals:

1-0 Diamantakos (22′, Left Foot Shot, Ohlsson)

2-0 Veerman (42′, Right Foot Shot, Penney)

2-1 Gonther (74′, Header, Riese)

Spectators: N/A

Sankt Pauli cards: Östigard(7), Penney(2)

Match (extensive, require Adblocker deactivation but no issues) highlights here

Further reading:

• Kicker (German)
• Official website
• Millernton (German, translator)
• Kleiner Tod (German)