Goals disallowed, very late victory
HSV dramatically screwed up Pauli’s early promotion
May 3, 2024, 8:31 p.m
Pyro, pack formation, goals conceded, penalty missed: In an intense city derby, Hamburger SV is the better team against St. Pauli, but two goals don’t count. The victory comes late and Pauli has to postpone the promotion celebration. Fortuna Düsseldorf wins, but is not yet sure of the relegation place.
Hamburger SV – FC St. Pauli 1:0 (0:0)
Party crasher in the city derby: Hamburger SV has prevented arch-rivals FC St. Pauli from being promoted to the Bundesliga for the time being and has preserved its own chances of returning to Germany’s top division. In the highly explosive duel in the electrified Volkspark, coach Steffen Baumgart’s team deservedly won 1-0 (0-0).
Robert Glatzel (85th) scored late for HSV, who kept pace with Fortuna Düsseldorf two games before the end of the season. St. Pauli’s Manolis Saliakas saw yellow-red in a wild final phase (90+6), Hamburg’s Ludovit Reis failed with a penalty kick from the spot (90+7, according to video evidence).
The Kiezkickers now have to wait 13 years after their last relegation to return to the Bundesliga. Pauli coach Fabian Hürzeler and his team have two more chances with a clear lead over the relegation place. Despite being four points behind third-placed Düsseldorf, HSV gained new hope.
“You can see the longing of the club and the fans to be first class again,” said Hürzeler, who was still winless in his two previous city derbies, before the game. At the beginning of the 111th edition, HSV stormed first – and further incited the electrified fans who had welcomed their team to the Hamburg cauldron with an impressive choreography.
After a mistake by David Nemeth, the superior hosts took the lead twice (20th). Robert Glatzel’s shot scraped defender Karol Mets off the line, and Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer’s follow-up shot was thwarted by keeper Nikola Vasilj with a strong reflex.
A little later things got wild. Initially, Glatzel’s supposed opening goal was not given because he had touched his opponent’s foot during the game (24′). Seconds after the quite debatable decision, Aljoscha Kemlein hit the post from close range from a suspected offside position on the other side. The wobbly Kiezkickers, who will finish ahead of HSV in the final table for the first time in 70 years, were also lucky in a first half worth seeing. Königsdörffer were only centimeters short after a great cross from Immanuel Pherai (36′).
After the break, the game initially flattened out a bit before Volkspark threatened to explode after an hour. The ball was in the goal again, but again the goal didn’t count. According to video evidence, referee Matthias Jöllenbeck rightly punished a foul by Königsdörffer on Vasilj. Glatzel then scored with his head and Vasilj didn’t look good.
Fortuna Düsseldorf – 1. FC Nuremberg 3:1 (2:0)
Fortuna Düsseldorf can continue to dream of direct promotion to the Bundesliga. Coach Daniel Thioune’s team hardly showed any nerves in the 3-1 (2-0) win against 1. FC Nürnberg and increased the pressure on Holstein Kiel after the twelfth game without defeat. The third-placed Rhinelanders are only two points behind the North Germans in the relegation zone.
Vincent Vermeij (34./45.+1) and Isak Johannesson (72.) scored the goals for Fortuna, who will play the top game at KSV Holstein next Saturday. Before that, the Kiel team will play against relegation-threatened SV Wehen Wiesbaden on Sunday (1:30 p.m./Sky) as part of the 32nd matchday. With a win, the Schleswig-Holsteiners can move back to five points ahead of the direct duel.
Düsseldorf must continue to look in the rearview mirror. After winning the 111th city derby against leaders FC St. Pauli, Hamburger SV remains four points behind Fortuna, but has a significantly worse goal difference. In Nuremberg, however, the big tremors begin. Ivan Marquez’s goal (56th) wasn’t enough for the Franconians to score. After just one point from the last seven games, the lead over relegation place 16 is still five points ahead of the competition’s games.
Fortuna initially played happily forward, but Nuremberg also went on the offensive. In an open game, it was Düsseldorf’s top scorer Vermeij who broke the spell and then increased the score before the break. After Ivan Marquez’s goal, Nuremberg’s first goal since the end of March, tension arose again – until Johannesson made the decision.