Yuito Suzuki and Maximilian Eggestein strike as Freiburg beat St. Pauli
Goals from Yuito Suzuki and Maximilian Eggestein helped secure Freiburg their second home win of the season after overcoming a defensively resilient St. Pauli side that showed determination before slipping to a seventh straight defeat.
Freiburg 2-0 St. Pauli
Goals: 1-0 Suzuki 40’, 2-0 Eggestein 50’, 2-1 Oppie 69’ (assist: Metcalfe)
Both sides entered the match desperate to turn around their fortunes, with Freiburg winless in their last five Bundesliga matches in face's of Pauli string of losses.
The visitors hadn't found the net in over 418 minutes of league action, while the hosts were hoping to capitalise on their strong record from set pieces, having scored more than half their goals from dead-ball situations this season.
Before kick-off, there was a special moment for Christian Günter, who was honoured for becoming Freiburg's all-time record appearance holder with his 441st match for the club.
The opening stages were cautious as both teams felt each other out. Freiburg gradually took control with nearly 70 percent possession, but struggled to create clear opportunities against Pauli's compact defensive block.
Niklas Beste had the first meaningful attempt in the 15th minute, but Nikola Vasilj made an excellent save low to his right. Suzuki also tested the Pauli goalkeeper in the 28th minute after being picked out brilliantly by Matthias Ginter.
The breakthrough finally came five minutes before the interval when Beste's inswinging corner was partially cleared by Vasilj, only for Suzuki to volley home the rebound from close range for his first Bundesliga goal.
Freiburg doubled their advantage just five minutes after the restart. Vincenzo Grifo delivered a dangerous ball from the left which Beste kept alive on the byline. His cutback was touched by Vasilj but fell perfectly for Eggestein to tap into an empty net.
Against the run of play, Pauli reduced the deficit in the 69th minute when Louis Oppie fired low past Noah Atubolu after Connor Metcalfe had provided the assist. The goal gave the visitors renewed belief, and they nearly snatched a dramatic equaliser when Jackson Irvine's effort flashed inches wide in the 89th minute.
Freiburg held firm through six minutes of added time to secure their first win since early October.
Man of the Match: Maximilian Eggestein
Eggestein produced a complete midfield performance, capped with what proved to be the decisive goal early in the second half. His strike from close range demonstrated excellent positioning and anticipation, while his overall play helped Freiburg control the tempo for much of the match.
The midfielder finished with the highest Fantasy points total (253) and was a calming presence even as Pauli pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages.
Having now equalled his goal tally from last season with his second strike of the campaign, Eggestein's ability to contribute in attack while maintaining defensive solidity proved crucial to ending Freiburg's five-match winless run.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Freiburg 1.52 - Pauli 0.43
Fastest player: Martijn Kaars (Pauli), 32.9 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-0 by Yuito Suzuki (Freiburg), 17 percent
Most pressed player: Johan Manzambi (Freiburg), 17 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Jackson Irvine (Pauli), +3.04
Fantasy Heroes: Maximilian Eggestein (Freiburg, 253 Points), Philipp Lienhart (Freiburg, 228 Points), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg, 211 Points)
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