Match Report

Pauli inflict derby defeat on HSV

A Diamantakos header and a van Drongelen own-goal were enough for St. Pauli to claim all three points in the Hamburg derby, as HSV succumbed to their first defeat of the season.

HSV were punished for their wastefulness and lack of concentration on Monday night (16th September) at the Millerntor Stadion, as St. Pauli deservedly gained all three points in the Hamburg derby, inflicting Hamburg’s first defeat of the season in the process. The home side started the stronger of the two and were rewarded for their early pressure in the 18th minute, as Dimitrios Diamantakos reacted quickest to Marvin Knoll’s header striking the upright. The visitors slowly grew into the game, and had a number of guilt-edged chances either side of the break to level things up. However, it was Knoll who once again caught Hamburg napping, with his flick from Mats Möller Daehli’s free-kick striking Rick van Drongelen and flying past Daniel Heuer Fernandes to double the Pauli lead just after the hour mark. Despite having been dominant before the home side’s second, the following HSV attacks were lacking in precision, with Dieter Hecking’s men unable to find the goal to bring them back into the game, having to leave the Millerntor empty-handed.

The hosts were one step ahead of the Rothosen for the majority of the first half, and went ahead in the 18th minute through Dimitrios Diamantakos.

Shaky opening punished by Diamantakos

With Jan Gyamerah having suffered a broken fibula in training last Wednesday, Dieter Hecking was forced into one change from the team who beat Hannover 96 last time out, with youngster Josha Vagnoman replacing the former Bochum man. In the opening exchanges both sides looked understandably nervous, afraid of making a mistake, with play very broken and lacking any kind of rhythm. Marvin Knoll’s fierce strike from all of 30 yards tested Daniel Heuer Fernandes in the Hamburg goal after 14 minutes, and it was the midfielder, whose presence in the box saw the home side take a deserved lead. Knoll met Möller Daehli’s cross from the left-hand side, and his header rebounded off the post straight to Diamantakos who headed into the empty net, a step quicker than Hamburg captain of van Drongelen. The Rothosen could have no complaints with their hosts going in front, looking sloppy in possession and lacking the intensity that had earmarked their previous performances in the league.

As the opening half hour drew to a close, the visitors grew into the game, looking more relaxed in possession and showing the confidence that had given them such a promising start to the league campaign. A strong run down the left by David Kinsombi saw space open up for Lukas Hinterseer on the edge of the box, and the Austrian’s fierce right-footed effort from 25 yards out could only be gathered at the second attempt by Pauli ‘keeper Himmelmann. Josha Vagnoman was giving Conteh a lot to think about heading back towards his own goal and his cross only a few seconds later only just evaded Hinterseer in the middle once again. The Brown and Whites saw less of the ball and were pushed deeper into their own half as the minutes ticked by, as a spectacular volley from Sonny Kittel at the left-hand edge of the penalty area was met by an equally fine stop from Himmelmann. Just on the stroke of half-time, the Rothosen thought they had evened things up, only for referee Jablonski’s whistle to intervene. Rick van Drongelen chipped the ball into the path of the advancing Bakery Jatta, only for the assistant referee to rule that the ball had gone out of play, rendering Hinterseer’s fine chipped finish from the resulting cross worthless. As Jablonski blew to signal the end of the first 45 minutes, Dieter Hecking will have been less than impressed with his charges’ efforts, despite their stronger showing in the last quarter of the first half.

HSV came out of the interval the stronger of the two sides, partly thanks to Aaron Hunt's substitution, but couldn't make the most of their dominance.

Lack of cutting edge sees Pauli double their lead

The lethargy of the first period wasn’t to see as the Rothosen came roaring out of the blocks in the second half, with Pauli unable to get control of the ball or gain any kind of territory in the Hamburg half. David Kinsombi’s floated ball found Bakery Jatta in the centre but the winger’s header flew wide of Robin Himmelmann’s goal and a winding run from Adrian Fein soon after saw another lovely cross into the middle, but Lukas Hinterseer didn’t catch his effort sweetly to either have an effort at goal or try and find a better-placed teammate. The Austrian had a guilt-edged opportunity just before the hour mark, as a driving run from Josha Vagnoman found David Kinsombi all alone ten yards out, and he unselfishly squared to Hinterseer, whose right-footed effort struck his standing leg to balloon over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

The Rothosen’s wastefulness in front of goal was punished by the first meaningful attack from the Brown and Whites, straight after Christian Conteh’s substitution. Möller Daehli’s quick free-kick caught the Hamburg back-line hopelessly unaware and Marvin Knoll’s flick came off the shin of Rick van Drongelen and was past Daniel Heuer Fernandes before he could react. Despite dominating until the home side had doubled their lead, there was a lack of a reaction from the Rothosen to going further behind, with only a last-ditch effort from van Drongelen preventing Diamantokos’ effort from reaching Sheffield Wednesday loan-man Penney.

Whilst seeing lots of the ball, the away side failed to dominate proceedings like they had done before the Pauli second, and the next chance of the game only came in the 78th minute. Adrian Fein’s ball found Lukas Hinterseer in acres of space and his header found fellow Austrian Martin Harnik who volleyed impressively past Himmelmann, only for the linesman’s flag to once again deny HSV. In the closing stages it was the hosts who looked the more likely, with bodies thrown forward by Dieter Hecking’s men leaving gaps at the back as Daniel Heuer Fernandes had to be alert on two occasions, saving strongly from Diamantakos and Buballa. As the game drew to a close, Hinterseer’s right-footed effort was saved expertly and Sonny Kittel could only direct the rebound into the side netting, very much reflecting an evening to forget for the Rothosen. Dieter Hecking’s men will be looking to avenge the defeat next time out on Sunday, as his side welcome Erzgebirge Aue to the Volksparkstadion.

Game overview:

FC St. Pauli: Himmelmann - Ohlsson (80‘ Kalla), Östigard, Lawrence, Buballa - Knoll (83’ Diarra), Becker - Miyaichi, Möller Daehli, C. J. Conteh (62’ Penney) - Diamantakos

Hamburger SV: Heuer Fernandes - Vagnoman, Jung, van Drongelen, Leibold - Fein, Kinsombi (80‘ Dudziak), Kittel - Narey (46‘ Hunt), Hinterseer, Jatta (66‘ Harnik)

Goals: 1-0 Diamantakos (18‘), 2-0 van Drongelen (o.g.)

Attendance: 29,546

Referee: Sven Jablonski (Bremen)

Yellow cards: Diamantakos (18‘), Ohlsson (72‘) / Leibold (33’), Jung (60’)

Red Cards: - / -