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Elias Saad (l) from St. Pauli and Xavier Amaechi from Magdeburg fight for the ball.

Photo: Christophe Gateau / dpa

FC St. Pauli lost 0-1 (0-0) against SC Magdeburg and suffered its first defeat since April 21, 2023 after 25 league games. Cup semi-finalist Fortuna Düsseldorf has been waiting for a win for four games after the 1-1 (1-0) draw against SV Elversberg. Eintracht Braunschweig defeated Karlsruher SC 2-0 (1-0).

St. Pauli (42 points) cannot take advantage of Hamburger SV's next mistake (37 points), but still remains at the top of the table in the 2nd Bundesliga. Holstein Kiel (36 points) can move within three points of St. Pauli with a win against Schalke 04 on Sunday (1:30 p.m., TV: Sky).

The fans of FC St. Pauli have also found a new form of protest. After the many tennis balls from Hertha BSC supporters and the bicycle locks on a gate in the Hamburger SV stadium, the fans of the league leaders who traveled with them brought whistles with them to Magdeburg. Shortly after the whistle concert ended, they saw Johannes Eggestein have St. Pauli's best chance of the first half. He received a high cross from Oladapo Afolayan, but was too imprecise and hastily finished (7th minute).

Herbert Bockhorn had the best opportunity for SC Magdeburg in an otherwise poor game (13th). The SCM repeatedly played high balls behind Hamburg's defense and made it difficult for St. Pauli to build up because they won many duels in midfield.

After the break, both teams tried to score the winning goal, Afolayan for St. Pauli (56th), Baris Atik (59th) and Luc Castaignos (61st) for Magdeburg initially missed. Ultimately, it was a mistake by the Hamburg keeper that decided the game. Xavier Amaechi intercepted a pass from Nikola Vasilj that was too short and passed it across to the free Atik (72'). After that, St. Pauli no longer had any compelling opportunities.

Fortuna Düsseldorf showed against SV Elversberg in the first half why they have the best offense in the league with an average of 2.2 goals per game. The team repeatedly caused danger, especially on the wings, and Ísak Jóhannesson took advantage of one of these situations to take a 1-0 lead (19th). Afterwards, Ao Tanaka (31st) and Joshua Quarshi (35th) missed the best opportunities.

Elversberg didn't get in front of the goal for a long time, in stoppage time in the first half Robin Fellhauer shot from the turn and Florian Kastenmeier was able to direct the ball to the corner (45th + 3). Then the promoted team punished Düsseldorf's negligence in the finish, after a one-two in midfield and Jannik Rochelt's quick ball forward from the right, Joseph Boyamba only had to push in (53'). Elversberg now played in a five-man chain, against which Düsseldorf ran in vain. Wahid Faghir's goal shortly before the end to make it 1-2 was withdrawn due to offside following video evidence.

In the relegation battle, Eintracht Braunschweig benefited from a controversial penalty: After a throw-in, Ermin Bičakčić went up in the penalty area to head the ball, but then fell because he was slightly pushed in the back by Christoph Kobald. Hasan Kuruçay confidently converted the penalty high into the left corner (13th).

After that, Eintracht was able to concentrate on defense; KSC couldn't do much with high balls. Braunschweig countered again and again, but Fabio Kaufmann (71') and Rayan Philippe (73') were denied by KSC keeper Patrick Drewes. Bičakčić did better in the 75th minute when he reacted quickest to a corner in the hustle and bustle and increased the score to 2-0.

With the fifth win in the last six games, Eintracht has moved up to 15th place in the table, at least temporarily.

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