SC Freiburg faced off against FC St. Pauli at the Europa-Park Stadion for only the third time in history, but this match marked the first encounter between the two sides in the Bundesliga. Previously, Freiburg had won both their meetings at the stadium—one in the arena’s opening game in 2021 and another in a DFB-Pokal match during the 2022/23 season. However, this time, St. Pauli emerged victorious, handing Freiburg a 3-0 defeat.
The match started with Freiburg controlling possession, while St. Pauli, freshly promoted and with only one point from their first four games, sat deep to close off space. Both teams had a quiet start, with neither goalkeeper being tested early on. But in the 18th minute, St. Pauli capitalized on their first real chance. Elias Saad pounced on a loose ball in Freiburg’s penalty area, putting the visitors ahead against the run of play. This unexpected opener marked the third consecutive home game in which Freiburg had fallen behind.
Freiburg responded quickly, as they had done in their previous matches. In the 16th minute, a Vincenzo Grifo free kick forced a good save from St. Pauli goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, sparking the game into life. Moments later, Philipp Treu’s shot for St. Pauli was blocked by Philipp Lienhart, while Freiburg’s own attacks down the left side failed to find a final touch to convert their crosses.
St. Pauli nearly doubled their lead when Eric Smith struck the bar from a free kick in the 35th minute. Freiburg had a golden opportunity to level the score just minutes later. A foul on Matthias Ginter in the box led to a penalty after the referee consulted VAR. However, Grifo’s penalty was saved by Vasilj, leaving Freiburg frustrated.
Moments after the missed penalty, St. Pauli punished Freiburg further. Just before halftime, Oladapo Afolayan capitalized on another defensive error by Freiburg, firing a low shot into the net to make it 2-0 for St. Pauli.
Despite Freiburg’s efforts to push forward in the second half, St. Pauli’s defense held firm. In the 79th minute, the visitors sealed their win with a third goal, handing SC Freiburg a surprising 3-0 defeat. It was a clinical performance from St. Pauli, as they took full advantage of their limited chances, while Freiburg struggled to convert their possession into goals.
