FC St. Pauli

Head coach Alexander Blessin made four changes to the team that won 2-1 at Holstein Kiel. Siebe Van der Heyden, Connor Metcalfe, Carlo Boukhalfa and Morgan Guilavogui started the game in place of injured captain Jackson Irvine plus Adam Dźwigała, Elias Saad and Oladapo Afolayan, who all dropped to the bench. Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso made one adjustment from the scoreless draw against Union Berlin, Florian Wirtz coming in for Aleix García (bench).

The game kicked off in almost perfect conditions for football and the Boys in Brown more than held their own in the opening stages, both physically and in footballing terms. With the visitors struggling to get going, it came as no surprise when the Blessin XI created the first openings. Manolis Saliakas got on the end of a Boukhalfa cross in the seventh minute but was unable to direct his header on target. Then, Boukhalfa headed a Danel Sinani free-kick a couple of metres too high. 

With 14 minutes gone, Leverkusen almost took the lead out of nowhere when Wirtz hit a lovely through ball with the outside of the foot to Nathan Tella, who whipped the ball into the box from the left for Jeremie Frimpong to steer a shot just past the post. Blessin had said in the run-up that his team would not be able to defend every situation and that chance was evidence of that. At the other end, Boukhalfa hit a piledriver from just outside the box, but Lukáš Hrádecký got both hands up quickly to make the save. The reigning champions continued to probe but were unable to find a way through the customarily tight FCSP rearguard, and as they gradually found their shape there were no further chances of note for Blessin’s charges either.

Just over half an hour had elapsed when the visitors took the lead from a set piece. Alejandro Grimaldo knocked a free-kick into a crowded goal area, where somehow Patrik Schick still had enough space to head home. Leverkusen had the edge now but lacked the penetration to threaten again, and the half ended with the Boys in Brown a goal down.

Patrick Schick (No14) had the fewest touches of any player in the first half but one of them gave his team the lead.

Both teams emerged unchanged for the second half. Alexander Blessin’s men hit the ground running and had more of the game in the opening stages but lacked punch and ideas in the final third. That said, every successful touch, be it in defence or attack, was met with frenetic applause from the home fans. There was still everything to play for, after all, and the Boys in Brown had already demonstrated that they had the wherewithal to come from behind and get a result in the 1-1 draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach and the 2-1 win at Kiel.

Blessin opted to make his first change with an hour gone, introducing Noah Weißhaupt for Connor Metcalfe. And Weißhaupt made his mark right away when he won a free-kick on the left edge of the penalty area. Smith took the free-kick, and his curling effort was heading towards the top corner before it was palmed away in fine fashion by Hrádecký. Two minutes later, the Boys in Brown were awarded another free-kick, this time in a central position. Smith took on the responsibility a second time, but his effort was blocked by the wall.

The pressure was sustained now and in their quest for the equaliser  the Blessin XI practically had the visitors pinned back in their own half. And with 74 minutes gone they notched what they thought was the equaliser when a Philipp Treu cross found Guilavogui, who netted from eight metres. It went to VAR, however, and the referee chalked the goal off for handball. The response from the Boys in Brown was emphatic. Four minutes later, the ball was in the net again and this time it counted! Hrádecký could only parry a fiercely struck Sinani free-kick, and Boukhalfa was on hand to convent from close range.

With the Millerntor rocking, the question on everyone’s lips now was could they go on and win it. First of all, however, Nikola Vasilj had to pull out all the stops to keep out a long-range effort from Grimaldo on 81 and a Hincapie header 60 seconds later. Goalscorer Boukhalfa then made away for Robert Wagner to a warm round of applause. The crowd were on their feet in the closing stages but for all the noise there were no more chances of note and it ended all square.

FC St. Pauli

Vasilj - Nemeth, Wahl, Van der Heyden - Saliakas, Boukhalfa (Wagner 84’), Smith, Treu - Metcalfe (Weißhaupt 59’), Sinani (Saad 90’), Guilavogui (Afolayan 90’)

Head coach: Alexander Blessin

Bayer Leverkusen

Hrádecký - Tapsoba (Buendia 89’), Tah, Hincapie - Frimpong, Xhaka, Palacios, Grimaldo - Tella (Boniface 89’), Wirtz - Schick (Adli 66’)

Head coach: Xabi Alonso

Goals: 0-1 Schick (32’), 1-1 Boukhalfa (78’)

Yellow cards: Hrádecký, Hincapie, Frimpong

Referee: Sören Storks (Velen)

Attendance: 29,546 (sold out)

Photos: FC St. Pauli/Witters