"In a season where the Bundesliga's relegation battle increasingly promises a richness that the title race may lack (with all due respect to Borussia Dortmund's efforts to stalk Bayern Munich at closer quarters in recent weeks), it has felt like St Pauli were, like fellow minnows Heidenheim, ready to be cut away. The Hamburg club's best-ever start to a top-flight season, two wins and a draw from their first three games, felt like an age ago."
"Stuttgart travelled north on a fine run of form, sitting pretty in a Champions League spot and fresh from a week of qualifying for the DFB Pokal semi-finals, a trophy which they have every hope of retaining. With one league win against largely hopeless Heidenheim since that golden start for their hosts, who are also harbouring an injury list as long as one of Scottie Pippen's arms (to paraphrase Jay-Z), it looked straightforward for Sebastian Hoeness and his men."
"St Pauli didn't just consign the form book to the bin but they took said receptacle into the car park and applied a lit match to it. Their victory was richly deserved. Whether it was the siege mentality that coach Alexander Blessin repeatedly referenced after the game or simply being in a place of having little left to lose, something clicked, and loudly."
"What is certain is that when Manolis Saliakas strikes, it's to herald good news. It was his low drive from the edge of the box that was the team's first home goal of last season, St Pauli finally scoring at the sixth attempt after five preceding blanks. Saliakas' goal against Holstein Kiel on that freezing Friday in late November 2024 kickstarted the club's first top-flight season since 2011."
St Pauli endured a dramatic collapse after their best-ever start to the top flight, suffering nine successive defeats that plunged them toward the relegation zone. Stuttgart arrived in strong form, occupying a Champions League position and fresh from DFB Pokal qualifying, making them heavy favorites. St Pauli produced an unexpected and deserved victory, overturning expectations with a siege mentality and bold performance. Manolis Saliakas provided a decisive low drive, marking the club's first home goal of the season and reigniting belief. The win offered renewed hope for survival amid injuries and sparse league success since the opening fixtures.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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