The Alte Försterei stadium hosted a critical relegation encounter on Sunday afternoon as Union Berlin faced St. Pauli. A victory for St. Pauli in Köpenick would have seen them climb above Köln into 15th position. While Union, known as Die Eisernen, had a robust first half of the season (Hinrunde), their performance has declined significantly since the new year, drawing them into the fight for survival.
Union’s manager, Steffen Baumgart, implemented five squad changes after the substantial 4-0 loss to Bayern Munich just before the international break. This included an entirely fresh attacking trio of Woo-Yeong Jong, Oliver Burke, and Andrej Ilić. Defender Diogo Leite also rejoined the starting lineup, having recuperated from a hamstring injury that sidelined him since late January.
St. Pauli’s coach, Alexander Blessin, also adjusted his team, bringing back Adam Dźwigała, Karol Mets, and Martijn Kaars following their previous home defeat against Freiburg.
The passionate energy from the Union supporters early in the match was mirrored by their team’s performance. Within five minutes, defender Danilho Doekhi had the first scoring opportunity, testing goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj with a strong shot that required a sharp save.
St. Pauli gradually found their rhythm and created a significant chance from a cleverly executed corner kick. Karol Mets received the ball tantalizingly close to the six-yard box but couldn’t convert, missing the target. Shortly after, Mathias Pereira Lage stunned the home crowd at the Alte Försterei, unleashing a perfectly struck volley from beyond the penalty area to give his side the lead.
Union responded with determination and came close to leveling the score five minutes before halftime. However, Nikola Vasilj produced an exceptional double save, first blocking Oliver Burke’s attempt and then swiftly reacting to thwart Derrick Köhn’s powerful rebound.
After the interval, Union emerged with renewed vigor, pressing St. Pauli’s defense relentlessly. They achieved parity just five minutes into the second half when Serbian forward Andrej Ilić powerfully headed in a corner delivered by Köhn.
Despite his impressive first half, St. Pauli’s goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj experienced a brief lapse, gifting possession to András Schäfer in a threatening area. Yet, he quickly atoned for his error, making a crucial save that frustrated Union’s Hungarian midfielder.
Both sides continued their search for a decisive goal, but neither managed to display the clinical finishing required in the attacking third. This lack of sharpness underscored their difficulties throughout 2026 and, for St. Pauli, suggested they might still face a high-stakes, winner-takes-all encounter against Wolfsburg on the final day.
Just before the final whistle, St. Pauli’s captain Jackson Irvine was shown two quick yellow cards, leading to his dismissal and ruling him out of next week’s match against Bayern Munich at the Millerntor.
Union Berlin 1-1 St. Pauli | Player Performances
Union Berlin:
Frederik Rønnow (6) – Danilho Doekhi (6), Leopold Querfeld (6), Diogo Leite (7) – Janik Haberer (6), Rani Khedira (6), András Schäfer (7), Derrick Köhn (7) – Woo-Yeong Jong (6), Oliver Burke (6), Andrej Ilić (8)
Others: Alex Kral (6), Ilyas Ansah (-), Tom Rothe (-)
St Pauli:
Nikola Vasilj (8) – Adam Dźwigała (6), Hauke Wahl (6), Karol Mets (6) – Arkadiusz Pyrka (6), Mathias Rasmussen (6), Jackson Irvine (6), Mathias Pereira Lage (7) – Daniel Sinani (5), Joel Chima Fujita (5) – Martijn Kaars (5)
Others: Andreas Hountoundji (5), Conor Metcalfe (-), Abdoulie Ceesay (-)
Standout Performer | Andrej Ilić (8)
Andrej Ilić was a constant threat and the offensive anchor for Union throughout the entire match, rightfully earning his team’s equalizer with a powerful header. Nikola Vasilj also deserves commendation; he might have claimed this honor himself if not for a momentary lapse of concentration in the second half.
