St. Pauli stun Freiburg with clinical 3-0 away victory
St. Pauli secured a clinical 3-0 away victory against Freiburg, with Elias Saad scoring twice as the promoted side earned their first Bundesliga win of the season.
Saad strikes early
The match began with Freiburg asserting their dominance in possession, but it was St. Pauli who struck first against the run of play. In the 12th minute, Elias Saad found space in the Freiburg box and clinically finished past Noah Atubolu to give the visitors a shock 1-0 lead. The hosts' best opportunity came in the 41st minute when they were awarded a penalty after a VAR review for a foul on Matthias Ginter. Vincenzo Grifo, usually reliable from the spot, stepped up but saw his effort saved brilliantly by Nikola Vasilj. This proved to be a turning point in the match, as St. Pauli capitalised when Oladapo Afolayan doubled St. Pauli's lead, pouncing on a loose ball in the box to make it 2-0.
The second half saw Freiburg push hard for a way back into the match, but their efforts were continually thwarted by a combination of bad luck and excellent defending from St. Pauli. In the 63rd minute, the hosts thought they had pulled a goal back when Philipp Lienhart headed in from a Grifo free-kick, but the joy was short-lived as VAR ruled the goal out for offside. This setback seemed to deflate Freiburg, and St. Pauli took full advantage. In the 72nd minute, Saad showcased his skill once again, dribbling past several defenders before firing a shot that Atubolu could only palm into his own net, extending Pauli's lead to 3-0. The goal was a testament to Saad's individual brilliance and summed up Freiburg's frustrating afternoon.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Freiburg 1.1217 - St. Pauli 1.5041
Fastest player: Elias Saad (St. Pauli), 32.69 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 0-2 by Oladapo Afolayan (St. Pauli), 17 percent
Most pressed player: Ritsu Dōan (Freiburg), 27 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Philipp Lienhart (Freiburg), +1.81
Fantasy Heroes: Elias Saad (St. Pauli, 361 Points), Nikola Vasilj (St. Pauli, 270 Points), Oladapo Afolayan (St. Pauli, 230 Points)
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