Rottweil Essen beat St Pauli 2-0 in the DFB Cup Round of 64 at the Stadion an der Hafenstrasse on 23 August. The hosts took advantage of a quiet spell in the opening half before breaking through, and here's the thing — they kept that lead intact despite being outplayed for large stretches. St Pauli controlled possession, but Essen's attack proved sharper when it mattered.
M. Janssen opened the scoring in the 36th minute, capitalising on a moment the visitors had not quite read. By then Essen had already been disciplined — A. Pyrka picked up a yellow card in the 27th, and T. Menzel followed in the 44th. S. Telalovic doubled the advantage shortly after the break, finding the net in the 53rd. Telalovic would also be cautioned in the 77th, a reminder of how tightly the match was contested.
St Pauli had 61 per cent of the ball and launched 102 attacks compared to Essen's 81, but their numbers tell a different story. They registered only two shots on target and created two big chances, while Essen managed seven shots on target and three big chances. The visitors' expected goals sat at 1.41 against Essen's 1.92, and yet the scoreline reflected the opposite. Shots accuracy of 29 per cent for St Pauli was a doubt — seven attempts for two goals suggests they went begging.
Substitutions came thick and fast in the second half. J. Fujita and T. Hara were introduced for St Pauli in the 65th, while M. Rasmussen appeared twice — once at 65 and again at 70, a substitution pattern that raised questions about fitness or tactical shift. Essen responded with changes of their own: M. Janssen was withdrawn in the 72nd alongside N. Pesch, only to return moments later, a move that looked more like reshuffling than replacement. L. Oppie and M. Kaars came on for St Pauli in the 77th, and S. Telalovic was replaced by M. Obuz in the 80th. Obuz made a second appearance at 81, and T. Menzel was off in the 89th. M. Mathisen collected a late yellow card in the 90+1 minute.
Essen's aerial superiority told in the air — 36 aerial duels won against 11 successful, a gap that meant set pieces became a weapon rather than a threat. St Pauli managed zero successful crosses from 13 attempts. The result extends Essen's momentum after a mixed run of form, while St Pauli's unbeaten streak in competitive matches — if one existed — came to an end here. Essen now hold a place in the next round, and they did it without needing to dominate possession.