Manager Armin Veh made one change to the starting line-up, Ricardo Clark began as a central defender alongside Schildenfeld to replace Marco Russ who joined VfL Wolfsburg last week. The back four were completed by Jung (right) and Djakpa (left). Schwegler, Rode and former Pauli player Lehmann were supposed to control the midfield zone while Meier and Caio acted as wingers to support the lone striker Hoffer. Kessler - also at St. Pauli last season - was in goal again.
The first 30 minutes belonged to the ambitious Hamburg team who can be seen as a direct competitor for the promotion and play-off zone spots. They had the better start: Naki with a header (10'), Boll with a shot (16') and Bartels with a close header after a Schachten cross (20') all tried their luck but missed the target. So did Takyi with his long range shot (26').
The Eagles still seemed to adapt to the new situation and division in the first half hour, their again rearranged defense struggled to act as a unit and the midfield did not connect well to either the back or the front. Then Caio had a powerful strike after a decent build up via Rode but his shot was blocked, seconds later the Brazilian midfielder curled the ball in after a Djakpa shot was blocked and St. Pauli keeper Tschauner was forced to a fine save (29').
The lead of St. Pauli did not surprise at this stage, Bartels netted from close range after a fast break, Boll assisted (38'). It was a close call for the referee as Bartels might have been offside when Boll was set up with a header before crossing the ball. The goal stood and so did the 0-1 score at half time.
After the break Matmour came on for Caio, and it seemed that Eintracht was keen to turn the match around - again. Meier's free-kick attempt was off target (47'), then Hoffer scored a goal which was disallowed for offside (49'), another debatable decision. Meier was supposed to have flicked the ball on before Hoffer finished it, but it was not clear whether Meier had even touched it. Lehmann had another go but his try went wide (53'), then Meier came very close with a header but keeper Tschauner was at the end of it (56').
Fenin came on for Hoffer (63') and later also Gekas for Lehmann (74'). The Eagles had the better of the match now building up pressure. Sebastian Rode who showed another spirited performance let go but his shot went wide (77'). A minute later it was once again Alexander Meier who made the best of a headed clearance and volleyed in from outside the box - a great goal to equalise (78')! Meier is now top scorer with 3 goals in 2 games and he assisted Matmour's late winner against Fürth also.
Eintracht kept pushing and were in possession of the ball throughout. They tried again and again to find a way through St. Pauli's tight defense but the Northerners defended well and showed a good spirit. The 16,500 saw a deserved draw in the end (ticket numbers were reduced due to a penalty by the German football association DFB). Eintracht remain unbeaten at home against St. Pauli (9 games, 5 wins, 4 draws in Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga).
With a win and a draw in the first two games against direct promotion competitors Eintracht's start to the campaign is respectable. It is not an easy task for team and manager having to work around the various changes in the defending four, and the team still needs to settle in and adjust to the division. But they seem to be getting there. Coming up is the first round of the German DFB Cup on Saturday away to Hallescher FC (kick off at 15.30h CET).
