As of: May 12, 2024 3:41 p.m
FC St. Pauli is back in the Bundesliga! On Sunday, coach Fabian Hürzeler’s team took the final step towards promotion with a 3-1 (1-0) win against VfL Osnabrück. There was a party atmosphere at Millerntor before and during the game.
When Oladapo Afolayan made it 2-0 for St. Pauli at 2:47 p.m., the remaining tension dissolved and gave way to a collective, explosive scream of celebration. There he was, the Roar. The roar for a return to the Bundesliga. “Olé, olé, olé, olé, super Hamburg, St. Pauli”, “Forza St. Pauli” and “St. Pauli, we love you” echoed through the stadium for minutes afterwards.
St. Pauli brings Hamburg back to the Bundesliga
Afolayan’s goal in the 58th minute against the Lower Saxony, who had already been relegated, eliminated any remaining doubts about promotion and was the start of a more than half-hour-long party in anticipation of the final whistle. When the bell sounded at 3:21 p.m., FC St. Pauli’s sixth Bundesliga promotion was finally complete and there was no stopping them. Everyone who supports the brown and white team stormed onto the pitch, hugged each other, fell on each other – and celebrated their return to the top echelon of German football after 13 years.
To the sounds of Vicky Leandros’ “I love life” and Marius Müller-Westernhagen’s “I’m back here,” Hürzeler, double goalscorer Afolayan and many other players were taken on their shoulders and carried through the audience.
With the promotion, the “Kiezkicker” will put Hamburg back on the Bundesliga map in the coming season after six years. The novelty: St. Pauli is Hamburg’s sole Bundesliga club for the first time, city rival HSV remains 0-1 in Paderborn on Friday for the seventh year in a row second rate.
Further information
Afolayan scores early…
Hours before the game there was a party atmosphere around the Millerntor. In one The fans marched to the stadium jumping, singing and dancing in a big fan march. Once there, the fans continued the day’s emotional build-up with loud chants and cheers as well as even more confetti than usual.
And if anyone there was nervous, Afolayan quickly calmed things down with his 1-0 win. Lars Ritzka and captain Jackson Irvine combined beautifully with a one-two on the left side and the Englishman only had to push Ritzka’s exemplary cross over the line (7th).
As a result, center forward Johannes Eggestein had two chances to finish, but first aimed too centrally (18th) and was then blocked (22nd). The bottom of the table was more dangerous until the break: first Noel Niemann’s shot missed Nikola Vasilj’s goal by just centimeters (23′), then a slipped cross from the midfielder flew just wide (39′).
Further information
… and scores a brace
If the Hamburg team seemed inhibited and at times unsteady in view of the imminent rise at the end of the first half, they acted more powerfully again at the beginning of the second half – and ensured the decision. Connor Metcalfe’s shot flew just wide of VfL keeper Philipp Kühn’s goal (56′), but two minutes later Afolayan’s second goal of the day relieved all tension. This time Irvine passed in the middle and the Englishman shot coldly (58′).
Ten minutes later, Hartel made it 3-0 with a header from Afolayan’s fantastic cross, and Lars Kehl scored Osnabrück’s consolation goal with a penalty kick in stoppage time (90+1). The promotion party had already been in full swing for a long time after Afolayan’s second goal.
33rd matchday, May 12th, 2024 1:30 p.m
Further information
