St. Pauli secure vital win in Heidenheim | OneFootball

St. Pauli secure vital win in relegation battle against Heidenheim

Heidenheim 0-2 PauliGoals: 0-1 Eggestein 25’ (pen.), 0-2 Guilavogui 90’+2 (assist: Afolayan)

In a crucial relegation battle at the Voith-Arena, St. Pauli arrived with renewed hope, bolstered by the inclusion of winter signings James Sands and Noah Weißhaupt in the starting line-up. The match promised to be a tense affair, with both teams desperate for points to climb away from the relegation zone. Frank Schmidt and Alexander Blessin had prepared their teams for what was sure to be a fiercely contested encounter.

A closely-fought match: Johannes Eggestein and Luca Kerber battle for possession. (IMAGO/Eibner-Pressefoto/Florian Wolf)

Tightly-contested first half

The match began with both teams showing caution, aware of the high stakes. Marvin Pieringer had the first notable chance for Heidenheim, his header going wide in the seventh minute. St. Pauli responded through Manolis Saliakas, whose shot missed the target three minutes later.

Eggestein breaks the deadlock

The deadlock was broken in the 25th minute when St. Pauli were awarded a penalty. Saliakas was brought down in the box by Frans Krätzig, and Johannes Eggestein stepped up to take the spot-kick. Eggestein kept his cool, sending Kevin Müller the wrong way to give the visitors the lead. This goal proved to be a turning point in the match, shifting the momentum in St. Pauli's favour.

A tactical second half

Heidenheim brought on Paul Wanner and Adrian Beck at half-time, looking to add creativity to their midfield. St. Pauli, meanwhile, adopted a more defensive approach, frustrating Heidenheim's attempts to find an equaliser. The home side enjoyed more possession but struggled to create clear-cut chances against a well-organised St. Pauli defence.

Late drama seals St. Pauli victory

As the match entered its final stages, Heidenheim pushed hard for an equaliser. Their efforts appeared to have paid off in the 87th minute when they found the back of the net, sending the home crowd into raptures. However, their joy was short-lived as the goal was disallowed for offside. In a cruel twist for the hosts, St. Pauli then struck on the counter-attack in the second minute of stoppage time. Substitute Oladapo Afolayan broke down the left flank before squaring the ball to Morgan Guilavogui, who slid it to poke the ball home and secure a 2-0 victory for the visitors.

Player of the Match: Johannes Eggestein

Eggestein's performance was instrumental in St. Pauli's victory. Not only did he score the crucial opening goal from the penalty spot, but his overall contribution to the team's attacking play was significant. Eggestein's ability to hold up the ball and bring his teammates into play helped St. Pauli maintain a threat on the counter-attack throughout the match. His composure under pressure, particularly when taking the penalty, demonstrated his importance to the team in high-stakes situations.

Bundesliga Match FactsxGoals: Heidenheim 0.78 - St. Pauli 2.32Fastest player: Léo Scienza (FCH), 34.3 km/hLowest goal probability: 0-2 by Morgan Guilavogui (STP), 68 percentMost pressed player: Johannes Eggestein (STP), 20 times under pressurePass efficiency: Kevin Müller (FCH), +3.05

Fantasy Heroes: Johannes Eggestein (St. Pauli, 230 Points), Morgan Guilavogui (St. Pauli, 189 Points), Manolis Saliakas (St. Pauli, 173 Points)

Liked the article? Find more articles on the official Bundesliga App.