Hoffenheim – St. Pauli 0:2: match report, goals and highlights

TSG Hoffenheim – St. Pauli 0–2 (0–1). Oladapo Afolayan and Andreas Albers scored for St. Pauli in the away win over Hoffenheim. The visitors showed crisp finishing and resolute defending to overcome Hoffenheim’s advantage in possession, with Jackson Irwin’s brilliant midfield performance and two assists proving crucial in securing victory.

The PreZero Arena set the stage for an exciting Bundesliga match as Hoffenheim hosted St. Pauli with both teams looking to bounce back from goalless draws in their previous matches. Hoffenheim head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo warned against underestimating the visitors, recognizing their adaptability and cohesion as a unit. Meanwhile, St Pauli coach Alexander Blessin expressed confidence in his side’s chances despite recognizing Hoffenheim’s individual qualities.

Jackson Irwin and Anton Stakh vie for possession of the ball in a fierce battle in the midfield. – IMAGO/nordphoto GmbH / Bratich

Hoffenheim dominates early matches

The home side burst out of the blocks, immediately asserting their superiority in possession. In the opening minutes, Marius Bulter came agonizingly close to breaking the deadlock, narrowly missing Valentin Gendry’s pinpoint cross. Hoffenheim continued to probe the game, with Andrej Kramaric orchestrating the play and Adam Chlozek testing Nikola Vasil with a tame header. Despite their control, the clear odds were still stacked against St Pauli’s disciplined defence, with the hosts having a staggering 72% chance of possession.

Oladapo Afolayan scored the first goal to stun the home team – IMAGO/Thomas Voelker

Afolayan takes a shot during the game

Just as Hoffenheim seemed to be tightening their grip on the match, St Pauli struck with a fine strike in the 20th minute. Jackson Irwin showed his vision with a brilliant turn and cross from the right flank. The ball found Oladapo Afolayan just inside the box and the striker made no mistake, volleying the ball down the ground and past Oliver Baumann to give the visitors the lead. The goal, St Pauli’s first of the game, demonstrated their clinical effectiveness in the face of Hoffenheim’s dominance. Notably, the kick had only a 7% chance of scoring, making it the most unlikely successful try of the match.

Johannes Eggestein battles the Hoffenheim midfielder for possession, showing St. Pauli’s determination. – Daniel Kopacz

Hoffenheim trying to equalize

Stung by the setback, Hoffenheim redoubled their efforts to find a way back into the game. Hlozek and Anton Stach saw attempts blocked or deflected as the home side piled on the pressure. Bülter came closest to equalizing just before the break, forcing Vasil to cleverly parry a shot from a tight angle. Despite their efforts and a total of 13 shots to St. Pauli’s 6, Hoffenheim took the lead, with resolute St. Pauli defending and impressive goalkeeping Vasil thwarting their attempts to restore parity.

Morgan Gilavogi looks to break through the Hoffenheim defense as St Pauli look to extend their lead – IMAGO/Eibner-Pressephoto/Wolfgang Frank

St. Pauli will weather the storm

The second half began with Hoffenheim introducing Haris Tabakovic in place of Hlozek, making it clear they were intent on leveling the score. However, it was St Pauli who almost doubled their lead when Morgan Gilavogi saved after another sharp counter-attack. The visitors continued to threaten on the break, with Afolayan and Gilavogi combining well to create chances. Hoffenheim, for their part, saw Tabakovic head in and Tom Bischoff save from Vasili as they desperately sought an equaliser. Vasil’s performance increased: the goalkeeper made a total of 6 saves during the match, keeping his clean sheet.

St Pauli players celebrate their second goal, putting the result beyond doubt – IMAGO/Eibner-Pressephoto/Wolfgang Frank

Albers makes a deal

As the match entered its final stages, Hoffenheim threw everything forward in search of an equalizer. The tension was palpable as St Pauli coach Blessin received a yellow card in the 70th minute for behavior on the touchline. However, Hoffenheim’s efforts were in vain and St. Pauli struck a knockout blow in stoppage time. Irvine was once again the provider, feeding substitute Andreas Albers inside the box. The striker kept his cool as he overtook Baumann to secure a memorable 2-0 win for the visitors and left the fans delighted.

Valentin Gendry challenges Morgan Gilavogui, representing an intense battle between the two sides. – IMAGO/Eibner-Pressephoto/Wolfgang Frank

Man of the Match: Jackson Irvine

Jackson Irwin was the standout player in St. Pauli’s impressive win. The Australian midfielder’s influence was felt throughout the match as he made two crucial passes en route to victory. Irvine’s vision and execution of the first goal set the tone for St. Pauli’s counter-attacking strategy. Despite Hoffenheim’s dominance of possession, Irvine’s work rate was exemplary, covering 12.7km – more than any other St Pauli player. His ability to read the game and intercept the ball at the right time disrupted Hoffenheim’s rhythm, and his distribution under pressure helped keep St Pauli’s threat going into the break. Irvine’s performance was instrumental in St Pauli’s tactical approach to overcoming Hoffenheim’s advantage in possession.

Bundesliga match facts
xGoals: Hoffenheim 0.9085 – St. Pauli 0.8573
Fastest Player: Stanley Nsoki (TSG), 34.99 km/h
Lowest chance of scoring: 0-1 from Oladapo Afolayan (STP), 7 percent
Most pressured player: Johannes Eggestein (STP), pressured 28 times
Passing efficiency: Anton Stakh (TSG), +5.39

Heroes Fantasy: Nicola Vasil (St. Pauli, 275 points), Anton Stach (TSG Hoffenheim, 245 points), Valentin Gendrei (TSG Hoffenheim, 221 points)