Kracher 1 - 4 ST.Pauli (384555617)

It had rained all day, but 10224 hardy fans still made it out to Columbia Centrum Arena. Antoñito Cataldo was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Gerard Osterwalder and József Kiprich. Kracher had chosen a strategic 4-4-2 formation. The following players took the field: Komalev - Völz, Oberecker, Hons, Andlaw - Sommer-Schneppendahl, Fauland, Schönecker, Böckenrand - Zuqert, Tewari.

ST.Pauli tactics involved an interesting 5-3-2 combination. The following players had been chosen: Geiduschek - Kerschhofer, Lampusov, Kašík, Rampini, Gerwers - Åhlkvist, Nielsen, Bona - Cabanyes, Samora.

ST.Pauli saw most attack opportunities on the wings. After 2 minutes, Kracher's E. Tewari swiftly ran past V. Lampusov and nutmegged the keeper! 1 - 0. A scuffle developed as players from both sides clashed following a tussle in the centre of the field 6 minutes into the match. After regaining order and consulting his linesman, the referee called Kracher's E. Tewari to one side and produced a red card for the player. Thighs bulging, Ä. Völz charged past the weaker players, seemingly oblivious to the rain. S. Kerschhofer tied the game at 1 - 1 after 12 minutes, when he converted an incredible pass from the right. ST.Pauli took the lead after 18 minutes making the score 1 - 2. P. Nielsen placed the ball out of reach for the home side's keeper after a fine move, coming in from the left. 24 minutes into the game, M. Böckenrand had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury. In came A. Boucheron. After 28 minutes, an incisive pass through the middle gave A. Cabanyes a chance to increase the lead for ST.Pauli, and he did not disappoint. The score was then 1 - 3. The teams went for the halftime break at 1 - 3. ST.Pauli claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 59 percent.

S. Zuqert was uncomfortable with the soggy pitch as he couldn't move the ball around with his usual grace. ST.Pauli's A. Kašík made it through the home team's defence on the right hand side 68 minutes into the match. After rounding the keeper, he only had to place the ball in the unguarded goal when a defender slid in and cleared the ball off the line. With 78 minutes played, ST.Pauli put themselves up 1 - 4 after an attack from the right, caused by a defensive blunder. The scorer was S. Kerschhofer. The players of ST.Pauli now seemed to think the job was done and acted more defensively, just waiting for the ref to blow the final whistle. After 81 minutes ST.Pauli's C. Rampini had to be carried off on a stretcher in agony. T. Hatcher came in to replace him. Kracher's L. Sommer-Schneppendahl was shown a yellow card for standing over the ball and blocking an opponent's quick free kick after 86 minutes. ST.Pauli enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 57 percent of possession.

Kracher's top performer was clearly S. Zuqert. On the other hand, P. Andlaw's play was disheartening. The most dominating ST.Pauli player was without a doubt K. Åhlkvist. A. Kašík was a disappointment, however. The match ends 1 - 4.