Pauli celebrate point in Frankfurt | OneFootball

St. Pauli safety all but confirmed as Eintracht Frankfurt left waiting on top four

St. Pauli left Deutsche Bank Park believing they are as good as safe from the drop after holding hosts Eintracht Frankfurt to a draw that leaves the Eagles fretting over UEFA Champions League qualification going into the final weekend.

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Eintracht Frankfurt 2-2 St. PauliGoals: 1-0 Kristensen 1’ (assist: Larsson), 1-1 Saliakis 4’ (assist: Guilavogui), 1-2 Guilavogui 16’ (assist: Voll), 2-2 Batshuayi 71’ (assist: Chaïbi)

Pauli entered the match buoyed by their recent away performances, having gone unbeaten in their last two Bundesliga road trips - a club first this season. Indeed, the Boys in Brown new a win here would mean one more season in the top flight. However, that would be easier said than done, with third-placed Eintracht aiming to seal their place in European club football's elite competition.

Morgan Guilavogui slots home past Kevin Trapp to give St. Pauli a shock 2-1 lead. (Christof Koepsel)

Explosive start sets the tone

The match exploded into life from the very first whistle. Rasmus Kristensen sent the home crowd into raptures after just 24 seconds, latching onto a pass from Hugo Larsson to fire Frankfurt ahead. Home jubilation was short-lived. In the 4th minute, Manolis Saliakas levelled the score with a delightful chip over Kevin Trapp, following good work from Morgan Guilavogui.

The breathless opening continued, and Pauli completed a stunning turnaround in the 16th minute. Guilavogui, proving to be a thorn in Frankfurt's side, broke clear and coolly rounded Trapp to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.

Eagles dominate but lack cutting edge

Despite falling behind, Frankfurt asserted their dominance in possession. However, the Eagles struggled to translate their control into clear-cut chances.

Under the guidance of Alexander Blessin, Pauli set up in a disciplined low block, frustrating Frankfurt's attempts to play through them. The visitors' goalkeeper, Ben Voll, making his full Bundesliga debut, was a commanding presence and the first half ended with the visitors holding onto their slender lead.

Batshuayi to the rescue

Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmöller made a crucial change at half-time, introducing Michy Batshuayi into proceedings. The substitution proved inspired. The breakthrough finally came in the 71st minute when Batshuayi latched onto a pass from Farès Chaïbi and fired home.

The equaliser injected new life into the match, with both sides pushing for a winner in the closing stages of an entertaining game that ended all square. The result all but secured survival for St. Pauli, who are now three points clear and 13 goals better off than Heidenheim in the relegation play-off spot with just one match left this term.

Frankfurt, meanwhile travel to direct rivals Freiburg on the final day, wary that their Champions League destiny could go eother way.

Player of the Match: Michy Batshuayi

While several players put in noteworthy performances, Batshuayi's impact off the bench earns him the Player of the Match accolade. The Belgian striker's introduction at half-time changed the complexion of the game, providing Frankfurt with a much-needed focal point in attack. Batshuayi's ability to make such a significant impact as a substitute underlines his value to the team and his knack for delivering in crucial moments.

Bundesliga Match FactsxGoals: Frankfurt 1.58 - St. Pauli 1.19Fastest player: Bahoya (Frankfurt), 36.03 km/hLowest goal probability: 1-1 by Saliakas (St. Pauli), 2.95 percentMost pressed player: Rasmus Kristensen (Frankfurt), 20 times under pressurePass efficiency: Ansgar Knauff (Frankfurt), +2.9

Fantasy Heroes: Kristensen (Frankfurt, 270 Points), Arthur Theate (Frankfurt, 252 Points), Guilavogui (St. Pauli, 213 Points)

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