Highlights

FINAL
An der Alten Försterei
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B. Dankertwhistle
An der Alten Försterei
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Full time: Union 1-0 Pauli

Union earn a narrow 1-0 win in the Matchday 2 opener to make it four points from their first two games this season. It was an evenly balanced game on the whole but the visitors rarely forced their hosts into any trouble in the final third, with Union looking much the more dangerous team going forward.
Full-time
90'

Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes

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Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
2.
Philipp Treu
Philipp Treu33.37km/h
3.
Adam Dzwigala
Adam Dzwigala32.99km/h
89'

Substitution

88'

Chance for Pauli!

Afolayan cuts in from the right and lines up a shot with his left foot but he slices the ball high and wide of the target.
85'

As it stands...

... Union will be top of the Bundesliga table, at least until tomorrow!
81'

Bénes from range

The midfielder catches a bouncing ball sweetly from about 25 yards out. It's flying towards goal but is blocked by a defender, leaving Bénes holding his head. He knows that was on its way in.
79'

Acrobatic from Dźwigała!

The defender again gets on the end of a corner, this time with an overhead kick at the near post that goes just wide of the upright!
75'

Tale of the tape

Pauli have played well for much of this game but have struggled in the final third.
Goal attempts
4off target
5on target
3off target
1on target
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All still to play for

With just one goal in it, this one is going to go right to the final whistle.
70'

Good break from Union

The hosts get forward at breakneck speed on the counter through Hollerbach. He's outpaced his team-mates though so by the time he gets into the box he has to go it alone. The forward gets a shot away but the angle is tight and it's a routine save for Vasilj.
68'

Wide from Dźwigała

The defender rises highest to meet a corner and connects well with a header, but it bounces wide of the far post.
63'

Double change

Head coach Alexander Blessin shakes up his attack in a bid to get back into the game.
58'

Good omen

Union have never lost in the Bundesliga after holding a half-time lead.
56'

Favourites

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Favourites
Union were the side more likely to win, statistically at least, at kick-off and their chances have only increased as the game has progressed.
1'
51.4 %
55'
78.8 %
50'

Rothe in space

The left-back gets forward well down the left and has two chances to cross in quick succession, but both are blocked by a defender's outstretched leg.
47'

Another chance for Union

A cross from the right finds Toussart in the box but his header goes well over.
46'

And we're off again

No changes from either side during the break.
Kick-off!
Half-time
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Half-time: Union 1-0 Pauli

The hosts have a narrow lead thanks to Hollerbach's sixth Bundesliga goal, a well-struck effort from the edge of the box. Pauli started well, albeit without creating any clear chances of note, but Union grew into the game and were on top by the time the whistle blew for the interval.
41'

First change

Smith goes off with a knock and is replaced in defence by Dźwigała.
36'

Jordan almost makes it two!

A sloppy back-pass is intercepted by Jordan. He only has the goalkeeper to beat but it's blocked by Vasilj, before ricocheting off the Union forward again and out for a goal kick. That's a big let-off for Pauli there.
35'

Boom!

A Union corner from the left is only half cleared to the edge of the penalty area, where Hollerbach is lurking. He wallops a powerful first-time effort into the net, with the help of a deflection in the crowded box.
Goal probability
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Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
5 %
Shot speed
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Shot speed
Shot speed describes the maximum speed in km/h that a ball reaches in a shot on goal. The distance is measured from the location of the shot to the centre of the goal.
114.28 km/h
Distance to Goal
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Distance to Goal
The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.
19.49 m
33'

Toussart again!

A much better effort from the Frenchman this time, smacking a stinging drive from a central position, 30 yards out, that Vasilj can only paw away.
32'

The stakes

Union drew 1-1 at Mainz last week, while Pauli slipped to a 2-0 home defeat against Heidenheim. As such, both will want to win here; not only for the three points but to start to build momentum and not get stuck near the bottom of the table.
30'

Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes

information
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
26'

Toussart has a go

The hosts nearly capitalise on a Pauli mistake but Toussart doesn't make a clean connection with his shot, allowing Vasilj to gather comfortably.
22'

Irvine bossing it

The Australian has won more duels than any other player on the pitch so far.
Duels won
3
5
Benedict Hollerbach Jackson Irvine
18'

Wide from Eggestein

A first real sight of goal for the visitors following some neat one-touch passing down the left, culminating in Eggestein slicing a left-footed effort wide of the target. The flag goes up for offside so a goal wouldn't have counted, but it was encouraging stuff from Pauli nonetheless.
16'

Next chance for Jordan

A looped cross into the box finds Jordan but he can't get enough power on his header to trouble Vasilj.
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Nothing in it

The midfield tussle between Toussart (l.) and Irvine (r.) is one to watch.
10'

Just over from Vertessen!

A loose ball on the edge of the Pauli area sits up kindly for Vertessen, who smashes a first-time strike narrowly over the bar.
8'

Pauli on top

Still no clear-cut chances to speak of but the visitors are seeing plenty of the ball.
Possession (%)
3466
6'

Jordan involved

The big Union striker gets on the ball for the first time and has an effort at goal from near the edge of the box, but it lacks pace and power as the ball rolls wide.
4'

First glimpse

Union break through the Pauli press and get forward at pace down the left. Hollerbach wriggles into space and crosses into the middle but there are no takers to apply a finishing touch.
3'

Midfield battle

Both sets of players are keen to set out their stall and make a statement with their opposite numbers. As a result we've had plenty of full-blooded challenges but no goalmouth action as yet.
1'

Peeep peeep!

And we're off, with Pauli - kitted out all in white - getting the ball rolling.
Kick-off!

Electric atmosphere

We're moments away from kick-off and suffice to say that the crowd in Berlin are well up for it.
0:16
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Watch: Union Berlin limbering up

More on those teams

Svensson makes three changes to the team that started the 1-1 draw with Mainz. Janik Haberer comes in for Christopher Trimmel on the right-hand side, Yorbe Vertessen is preferred to András Schäfer in attack, and Tom Rothe starts on the left in place of Robin Gosens, who isn't included. As for Pauli, Blessin sticks with the same XI that lost to Heidenheim.

Union starting line-up

Rønnow - Doekhi, Vogt, Leite - Haberer, Khedira (c), Tousart, Rothe - Hollerbach, Jordan, Vertessen

Union subs

Schwolow, Querfeld, Roussillon, Trimmel, Benes, Jeong, Kemlein, Schäfer, Skarke

Pauli starting line-up

Vasilj - Wahl, Smith, Mets - Treu, Wagner, Irvine (c), Metcalfe, Ritzka - Eggestein, Guilavogui

Pauli subs

Voll, Dzwigala, Nemeth, Saliakas, Boukhalfa, Afolayan, Albers, Banks, Saad
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Blessin ahead of facing Union

"It will be a similarly tough and competitive game [as last weekend’s one against Heidenheim]. They have a high tackle rate, look to play through the middle and can defend very well. So it'll be important to have a lot of movement and find the spaces. We want to cause them problems. We'll have to go to our limits and will perhaps need a slice of luck to get goals and take points home from Berlin."
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Svensson ahead of facing Pauli

"They’re a very strong team who have a clear playing style. So we expect a tough and close game where we’ll need the strength of our stadium to make things go our way. We’ll all need to turn up against a strong St. Pauli. I think St. Pauli played an exceptional campaign in Bundesliga 2 last season and deserved to be promoted in such a commanding manner."

A Bundesliga first

Union's meeting with Pauli is the 961st different match-up in Bundesliga history. The 962nd comes a day later, when promoted Holstein Kiel host Wolfsburg.

Previous meeting

The previous meeting between these two sides came in the DFB Cup in 2022 when Union beat St. Pauli 2-1 thanks to goals from Sheraldo Becker and Andreas Voglsammer. The last league meeting between the two came in the Bundesliga 2 in 2019, when St. Pauli won 3-2 at home with the goals coming from Sami Allagui and Alexander Meier.

Off the mark

Bo Svensson got his first point on the board as Union Berlin boss in Saturday's draw away to Mainz. He'll be relieved to have not left his former side empty handed and will now look to take all three points at home to newly promoted St. Pauli.
2:03
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Watch: Mainz 1-1 Union Berlin highlights

It was all even in the battle of the Bo's as Mainz drew at home to Union, as Laszlo Bénes scored late on to secure a point for Bo Svensson's side on his return to former club Mainz.

Looking for lift-off

After defeat in their first game of the season, St. Pauli will travel to Union Berlin with the aim of getting their season up and running with three points. They will face a Union side that managed to pick up a point against Mainz on the opening weekend.
2:03
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Watch: St. Pauli 0-2 Heidenheim highlights

St. Pauli endured a difficult start to life back in the Bundesliga, as they lost at home to Heidenheim in their opening game.
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Hello and welcome!

Welcome along and thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of this Matchday 2 fixture between 1. FC Union Berlin and FC St. Pauli.