Nothing to complain about: Karlsruher SC – FCSP 1:3

As I wrote last week during the win against FC Ingolstadt: Simply be happy. And for a long time, we finally succeeded in doing that away from home. And how!
(Cover picture: Peter Böhmer)

The emphasis here is doubly on “simple”: On the one hand, Tim is once again indispensable in his second job and has such bad internet that he is probably still in the first half of the stream and shivering. In other words, you’ll have to do without in-depth analyses of the tactical circumstances that led to this first away win (in the division) since that 3:1 in Aue in April. On the other hand, it was also very “simple” – or at least it looked that way.

Half-time 1: 2:0 only very late in the game

The starting line-up was the same as last week, Jannes Wieckhoff and Finn Ole Becker as well as Eric Smith were not even in the squad. It may have been due to their overall health situation, but I also see it as a positive sign that we no longer need to take anyone who is not 100% fit – because we have enough (and good quality) alternatives in the squad. Both the back four with Paqarada, Medić, Ziereis and Zander and the diamond with Aremu, Hartel, Irvine and Kyereh work – and would do so even if there had to be isolated changes. These changes are more frequent in the forwards, and today Dittgen was again preferred to Makienok. By the way, KSC also started with the same starting line-up as the previous week.

The mood in the half-completed Wildpark was good to euphoric, after all, second place in the table beckoned for the Badeners as well. But after a short period of pressure at the beginning, FCSP gained control of the game.
The opening goal (13th), however, came from a transitioning situation – and in the end, of course, rather fortunately. Jakov Medić blocked a shot in his own penalty area, the rebound landed with Guido Burgstaller and he sent Maximilian Dittgen on his way from the left-wing. With his cross, keeper Gersbeck would have been able to pick up the ball in front of Kofi Kyereh in 19 out of 20 cases, but he took a step too far out and was now faced with the split-second question of somehow being able to clear the ball towards the byline, catching it against the direction of travel, or letting it through in the hope that Kyereh would not reach it. The result was a mixture of everything – and thus the worst possible decision, namely an unfortunate arm movement that pushed the ball into his own goal. Classic case of “Normally we always catch eggs like that ourselves.”

That was a real damper for Karlsruhe, both on the field and in the stands. The big double chance to extend the lead then came in the 21st minute: Kyereh won the ball in midfield and this time Dittgen sent Burgstaller running alone towards Gersbeck – but this time, the keeper was able to make a save. And he did the same half a minute later when Zander won the ball upfront on the right and Burgstaller passed sharply inside, but the angle was a bit too acute or the distance too short for Jackson Irvine to place the ball even better.
Three dangerous situations, all three from ball recoveries and quick transitioning.

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The decisive scene came in the 42nd minute when Paqarada sent Kyereh down on the left and he went down in the penalty area. It is indisputable that Breithaupt touched Kyereh there – depending on your club glasses, you can now argue for or against the causality of the touch for the fall. For me, it was indeed a classic 50/50 scene, which the VAR would probably not have corrected in the opposite case. But this was definitely not a swallow, it can be given as such. The excitement on the Karlsruhe bench also ensured that referee Nicolas Winter will not be served too many free drinks in Karlsruhe bars this evening. Guido Burgstaller did not let the opportunity pass him by and converted safely in the bottom right corner.

Half-time 2: Sovereign management

After the restart, things could have gone either way early on. Irvine had a free header from close range (49.), Hofmann failed twice on the other side (51. & 56.) against Nicola Vasilj, who had a big share in the victory.

But just when the crowd wanted to get going again with shouts of “Ref, you asshole!”, FC St. Pauli, in the style of a top team, put the lid on it: Strong ball win in the offensive third by Dittgen, good and thoughtful pass from Irvine to Burgstaller and he plays the ball into the middle to Kyereh, who then lobs the ball over the rushing Gersbeck – which, to be honest, must have been more difficult than they probably estimated at real speed.

If the opening goal in half one was a damper, this goal brought the game to a standstill. St. Pauli needed to do nothing more, KSC lacked faith and also the necessary idea, against the well-stacked defence in brown and white. In the 79th minute, Karlsruhe managed to score 1:3 after Hartel had made a save in the penalty area and Schleusener, who had come on as a substitute at the end of the match, scored a spectacular direct shot, but this was really only a correction of the result.

Conclusion: It’s possible!

In the duel of the two best second division teams of the calendar year, FCSP successfully ended its six-game away streak with only one point and 1:13 goals in impressive fashion. The reward is second place in the table, which is likely to hold after tomorrow’s games – unless there is a little guest firework at Volkspark.
With the two upcoming home games against Dresden and Rostock in mind, we can look forward to the coming weeks, including the international break, with great optimism – and even with the away game in Heidenheim in between, we finally know how to win there since the end of January.

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Just be happy, have a nice rest of the weekend!

// Maik (translation by Arne)

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