Hamburg double lead in 2. Bundesliga: HSV level on points with leaders St. Pauli after win against Fürth

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The HSV players celebrate Jonas Meffert (2nd from left) after his goal to make it 1-0 against Fürth

Photo: IMAGO/Sportfoto Zink / Wolfgang Zink / IMAGO/Zink

FC St. Pauli only drew 2-2 (0-1) at SC Paderborn in the second Bundesliga. St. Pauli leads the table ahead of local rivals Hamburger SV, who won 2-0 (2-0) against SpVgg Greuther Fürth. In the duel of the promoted teams, Wehen Wiesbaden prevailed at VfL Osnabrück 2:0 (1:0).

As league leaders, without a defeat of the season and without ever falling behind, FC St. Pauli went into their away game at SC Paderborn - and they immediately corrected one of these statistics: With a dream shot from his own half, SCP striker Florent Muslija overcame Nikola Vasilj, who was too far in front of the goal, to make it 1-0 for Paderborn (8th minute). Muslija had won the ball in front of his own penalty area, it was already his fifth goal of the season. After that, Paderborn made it difficult for Hamburg, dropped back and waited for counterattacks.

Muslija had a brace towards the end of the half, but his foray into the box narrowly missed the short corner (42'). St. Pauli hardly had any chances in the first half, FCSP captain Jackson Irvine failed from 19 meters (32nd). A cross from Marcel Hartel was undermined by Paderborn keeper Jannik Huth, but Adam Dźwigała did not put enough pressure behind the header at the back post (43') – Tobias Müller was able to clear on the line.

St. Pauli turn the game around – and give away the victory after all

In the second half, St. Pauli started as if replaced. Substitute Connor Metcalfe shot wide of the target from five yards out on his first touch of the ball (47'). Striker Johannes Eggestein did better after a corner and headed powerfully into the goal from eleven meters for the equalizer (48th). Paderborn could only become dangerous on the counterattack. Suddenly, Filip Bilbija was free in front of Vasilj, but he made a great save (72'). Then captain Jackson Irvine, who scored for Australia in midweek, turned the game around with a deflection after Eggestein hit the post (78th). Paderborn's response was immediate: After a quick switch over Sirlord Conteh, the ex-HSV player Bilbija executed from close range (82nd).

Hamburger SV remain a force to be reckoned with at home: after the recent stumbles away to promoted teams, when coach Tim Walter's team could only take one point from away games in Elversberg, Osnabrück and Wiesbaden, they managed their fifth win in five home games against Greuther Fürth.

However, the 2-0 (2-0) was bought dearly by the promotion co-favourites: After ten minutes, full-back Ignace van der Brempt had to leave the pitch with a thigh problem, followed five minutes later by captain Ludovit Reis, who fell unluckily on his shoulder.

Even with Moritz Heyer and Immanuel Pherai on the field, however, there was no break in the game of the superior HSV, who immediately took the lead: After a corner kick variation, Jonas Meffert extended the ball into the goal with a header (16th).

VAR luck for Jatta, penalty, offside goal

Shortly before the break, Hamburg were lucky that an unfortunate kick by Bakery Jatta in a tackle on Simon Asta only resulted in a yellow card, even after video review. After VAR and injury interruptions, the first half was extended by ten minutes of stoppage time, Robert Glatzel took advantage of this to extend the lead from close range (45'+4').

Jatta and Jean-Luc Dompé in particular created and missed further opportunities via quick counter-attacks. That almost got their revenge when Guilherme Ramos gave away a penalty for a foul. Daniel Heuer Fernandes, however, sensed the corner and saved Branimir Hrgota's shot (72'). Because a supposed second goal by Glatzel did not count due to offside (78th), the score remained 2-0.

In a scrappy game between the two promoted teams, the guests from Wiesbaden took an early lead through Hyun-ju Lee (9th). Osnabrück had lost the ball in the build-up and had then been countered over two stations. Osnabrück's only chance resulted from a misplaced pass from Wehen, the ball ended up with Jannes Wulff. His shot from 12 metres was parried by SVWW goalkeeper Stritzel (19').

It was only after the change of sides that VfL found their way into the game better, and the equaliser was in the air from the 50th minute. Michaël Cuisance was denied by Stritzel from a promising position (58'). Wiesbaden shifted to counter-attacking and then made it 2-0 through a set piece: Robin Heußer shot a free-kick directly under the crossbar from 18 meters (70').

CEV/VGL