Khedira's Lifeline Saves Union – St. Pauli's Spiral Deepens

Skip It Futmetrix Score: 12/100. At the Millerntor-Stadion, a six-pointer was decided by a single strike that keeps Union Berlin in the European hunt whilst condemning St. Pauli deeper into the relegation mire.

The Sucker Punch Before Half-Time

Rani Khedira struck when it mattered most – the 44th minute proved decisive. After a pass from A. Ilic, the Union midfielder finished with ruthless efficiency, handing the visitors a psychological edge St. Pauli never recovered from. Despite controlling 59 percent of possession, the home side lacked the cutting edge: just three shots on target against Union's surgical approach. The visitors absorbed pressure and punished St. Pauli's wastefulness.

Defensive Masterclass Keeps Union Intact

Leopold Querfeld was the bedrock of Union's rearguard, delivering an outstanding performance (7.9 rating) that organised the entire defensive structure. Partnered with Diogo Leite (7.5), he built a wall that neutralised St. Pauli's set-piece Intensity – ten corners came to nothing. The home side threw everything forward, but Union's three-man save count proved decisive. This was not a match won on the pitch; it was won in the trenches.

St. Pauli's Free Fall Accelerates

A fifth consecutive defeat sends St. Pauli spiralling toward the abyss. Sixteenth place with just 7 points from 11 matches and a goal difference of -12 tells a damning story. The Balance was never there – possession without penetration. Union proved that efficiency trumps control: 0.55 xG converted into three points, whilst St. Pauli's 0.72 xG yielded nothing. The gap between survival and relegation is narrowing.