Jackson Irvine has played a fine captain’s role for St Pauli as they enjoyed one of their best wins of the season in the Bundesliga.
The Australian international midfielder Irvine, captain of the promoted Hamburg club, provided the lovely through ball that enabled Guinea forward Morgan Guilavogui to put St Pauli ahead in their 3-0 win over Union Berlin.
Guilavogui went on to complete a double – once in each half – as St Pauli leapfrogged the visitors on goal difference to move to 13th in the 18-team division.
Substitute Danel Sinani also scored in second-half stoppage time, one minute after going on, to complete St Pauli’s biggest home win of the season.
It was the third defeat in four games for new Union coach Steffen Baumgart, leaving the capital club just six points above the relegation zone.
Earlier on Sunday, Adam Hlozek scored in stoppage time for Hoffenheim to end Eintracht Frankfurt’s winning run with a 2-2 draw.
It was Frankfurt’s first game since top-scorer Omar Marmoush left for Manchester City and it looked like Hugo Ekitike had filled the gap nicely with his two goals for the visitors.
But Andrej Kramaric chipped the ball forward for Hlozek to equalise with a volley in the fifth minute of second-half injury time.
The point lifted 15th-placed Hoffenheim four points above Heidenheim in the relegation zone.
Frankfurt remained third after the end of their four-game winning start to 2025 across all competitions.
Hoffenheim goalkeeper Luca Philipp made his Bundesliga debut in place of injured captain Oliver Baumann, and he faced a penalty early on but was unable to stop Ekitike from breaking the deadlock in the 26th.
Ekitike sent the goalkeeper the wrong way as he scored for the fourth consecutive game across all competitions.
The home team regrouped with Tom Bischof standing out in his first game since it was announced he’ll be joining Bayern Munich at the end of the season.
Hoffenheim’s deserved equaliser came with Hlozek the provider for Gift Orban’s first Bundesliga goal since joining from French team Lyon.
Ekitike scored again in the 71st after a brilliant move involving Rasmus Kristensen, but Hlozek had the final say.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/soccer/socceroo-irvine-helps-st-pauli-to-bundesliga-home-win-c-17518052
