Nikola Vasilj's stellar performance, including a penalty save, was undone by Philipp Treu's unfortunate 88th-minute own goal as Freiburg edged past St. Pauli in a tightly contested match at the Millerntor-Stadion.

St. Pauli 0-1 Freiburg
Goals: 0-1 Treu (o.g. 88')

The clash between Pauli and Freiburg at the Millerntor-Stadion promised to be an intriguing encounter, with both teams having something to play for. St. Pauli, looking to solidify their position away from the relegation zone, faced a Freiburg side aiming to strengthen their grip on a European spot. The home team welcomed back Elias Saad to the starting lineup after a long injury layoff, while Freiburg made two changes with Patrick Osterhage and Merlin Röhl coming into the side.

Nikola Vasilj celebrates after making a crucial save, keeping St. Pauli in the game against Freiburg. - IMAGO/Susanne Hübner, Susanne Huebner

Vasilj stands tall

The first half was a tightly contested affair, with both teams showing their intent early on. St. Pauli started brightly, with Saad looking lively on his return. However, it was Freiburg who created the clearest opportunity in the 13th minute. Ritsu Dōan found himself through on goal after a delightful first touch, but Nikola Vasilj in the St. Pauli goal stood firm to deny the Japanese international. This save set the tone for Vasilj's impressive performance throughout the match.

Ritsu Dōan missed an early chance after a delightful touch. - IMAGO/Fernando Soares

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Penalty drama

As the first half drew to a close, the match saw its most dramatic moment. In stoppage time, Freiburg were awarded a penalty after a foul by Jackson Irvine. Vincenzo Grifo stepped up to take the spot-kick, opting for a cheeky Panenka. However, Vasilj read it perfectly, standing his ground to make an easy catch. This marked Freiburg's fourth consecutive missed penalty in the Bundesliga, a statistic that would have frustrated head coach Julian Schuster.

Vincenzo Grifo's penalty is saved by Nikola Vasilj, keeping the scores level before half-time. - IMAGO/Susanne Hübner, Susanne Huebner

Second-half stalemate

The second half saw both teams continue to battle hard, with the match becoming increasingly physical. Freiburg began to assert more control, creating several chances. In the 57th minute, Grifo nearly made amends for his penalty miss with a well-struck free-kick, but once again Vasilj was equal to it, tipping the ball away from the top corner. St. Pauli, while under pressure, remained dangerous on the counter-attack, with Saad and Johannes Eggestein looking to break forward when possible. The intensity of the match was reflected in the 63rd minute when David Nemeth of St. Pauli received a yellow card for a foul on Röhl.

Tactical changes

Both managers made substitutions in an attempt to break the deadlock. St. Pauli introduced Oladapo Afolayan for Saad in the 62nd minute, while Freiburg brought on Eren Dinkçi and Jan-Niklas Beste for Röhl and Grifo respectively in the 75th minute. These changes added fresh energy to the contest, but the defenses held firm.

Late heartbreak for St. Pauli

Just as it seemed the match was heading for a goalless draw, disaster struck for the home side. In the 88th minute, a Freiburg attack led to an unfortunate own goal by St. Pauli's Philipp Treu, breaking the deadlock and the hearts of the home fans. Despite a late push from St. Pauli, Freiburg held on to secure a crucial 1-0 victory, boosting their European ambitions.

Player of the Match: Nikola Vasilj

Despite ending up on the losing side, St. Pauli goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj was undoubtedly the standout performer. His penalty save from Grifo was the highlight of a string of crucial interventions that kept his team in the game until the unfortunate late own goal. Vasilj's positioning, reflexes, and decision-making were exemplary throughout, and he can consider himself extremely unlucky to have conceded in such a manner after his heroic performance.

Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: St. Pauli 0.19 - Freiburg 1.35
Fastest player: Merlin Röhl (Freiburg), 34.56 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 0-1 by Philipp Treu (St. Pauli), 3 percent
Most pressed player: Johannes Eggestein (St. Pauli), 15 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Lucas Höler (Freiburg), +2.22

Fantasy Heroes: Nikola Vasilj (St. Pauli, 235 Points), Kiliann Sildillia (Freiburg, 215 Points), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg, 213 Points)

About the clubs

SC Freiburg

Europa-Park Stadion

FC St. Pauli

Millerntor-Stadion