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Header duel between Ryan Malone (left) and Simon Makienok
Photo: Danny Gohlke / dpa
Hansa Rostock won the Saturday evening game of the 2nd Bundesliga 1-0 (1-0) against FC St. Pauli.
As a result, Rostock are eleventh in the table six games before the end of the season, nine points ahead of Dynamo Dynamo Dresden on the relegation rank.
Leader St. Pauli loses first place to Darmstadt 98, who won against Holstein Kiel in the afternoon.
Werder Bremen (1.30 p.m. against SV Sandhausen) can also overtake them on Sunday.
The ball was already in the guest goal after three minutes, but according to the video images the goal was rightly not given.
John Verhoek committed a foul in winning the ball before the goal was scored.
However, Hansa, who had won the last three games, remained the more dangerous team.
Verhoek forced Nikola Vasilj to make a strong save (10th minute).
Again Vasilj (40') and a sliding tackle from Jakov Medic (44') prevented the hosts from taking the lead, the best opportunity for FC St. Pauli was missed by Guido Burgstaller, who was unable to convert a sharp cross from Leart Paqarada (7').
Second half, same picture: The top club from Hamburg remained largely harmless, promoted Rostock was the stronger and more goal-oriented team.
Hansa was rewarded in the 59th minute: after a double one-two, the ball went to the right wing, Verhoek slipped past the cross, but Nico Neidhart scored from a tight angle.
It was Neidhardt's first goal of the season, who came to Rostock in 2019 from Dutch club FC Emmen from the Eredivisie.
The best opportunity to equalize was missed by Paqarada, who shot a free kick from 25 meters just wide of the left angle in the 74th minute.
That's how it stayed with the first Hansa win against FC St. Pauli since 2008.
Hansa will continue next Friday at Fortuna Düsseldorf (6.30 p.m.), FC St. Pauli will host SV Werder on Saturday for the top game in the second division (1.30 p.m.).
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