The West-Regionalligist SV Straelen came close to a sensation in the first round of the DFB Cup. In the end, however, second-division FC St. Pauli won 4:3 (2:2).

SV Straelen sold themselves incredibly dearly in the first round of the DFB Cup, but were still knocked out by FC St. Pauli. And in what a dramatic match. In the end, coach Sunday Oliseh’s team lost 3:4.

But first things first: Although Hamburg got off to the better start and were able to create the first dangerous goalmouth scenes through Irvine (7th) and a double chance from Eggestein and Jakov Medic (13th), it was the underdogs who took the lead. The first attack of the game by the regional league team was used by Jaron Vicarlo on an assist by Said Harouz for a 1:0 lead. However, the lead did not last long: Eric Smith equalised with a curious free kick goal.

Shortly before the break the double strike. In the 40th minute it was again a free kick that provided a Pauli goal. This time Smith’s cross found Medic’s head and he nodded in for a 2-1 lead, but it only lasted two minutes. Amoros Nshimirimana, signed just two days before the game, equalised before the break on an assist from Joep Munsters.

After half-time the game seemed to go its classic way. Favourites St. Pauli took the lead through a goal by David Otto (62nd) and dominated the game from then on. But things got dramatic from the 76th minute onwards: Manolis Saliakas was shown the red card for a rough foul on Toshiaki Miyamoto. Shortly afterwards, Vicario equalised with his goal ten minutes from time. He had taken a free-kick from an acute angle into the middle of the net and Pauli keeper Smarsch punched the ball into his own net. The sensation was imminent, especially after Straelen came closer and closer to the Hamburg goal.

But it was the second-division team that scored the final goal. With the end of regulation, Medic scored – after a free kick by Smith, of course – to make the final score 4:3.