2. Bundesliga preview: Holstein Kiel vs. FC St. Pauli
| Photo by Selim Sudheimer/Getty Images |
Two teams from northern Germany go head to head on Friday evening, with both sides looking to claim their first victory of the new 2. Bundesliga campaign after opening the season with draws.
After steering the club away from relegation last season, Tim Walter is now embarking on his first full campaign in charge of Kiel, with the experienced coach aiming to guide the club back to the Bundesliga.
Kiel began their campaign with a 2-2 draw away to Darmstadt last weekend. While that may appear to be a credible result on paper, the Storks will have been bitterly disappointed not to come away with all three points after new signing Guillermo Balzi and Phil Harres put them two goals ahead before half time. However, a late fightback from the hosts saw Darmstadt score twice in the final 15 minutes to snatch a point.
Kiel midfielder Kasper Davidsen insists the mood remains positive within the camp:
“There were already many positive signs (against Darmstadt) – and also many things we can still work on. The atmosphere within the team is good, and we’re all looking forward to the first home game on Friday.”
St. Pauli entered the campaign hoping to bounce back after a difficult Bundesliga season ultimately ended in relegation, bringing their two-year stay in the top flight to an end. Following their decision to part ways with Alexander Blessin, former Holstein Kiel boss Marcel Rapp has been handed the task of securing an immediate return to the Bundesliga, with his second game in charge taking him back to his former club.
Unfortunately for the Kiezkicker, their return to the second tier got off to a laboured start. At home against Fürth, St. Pauli dominated possession but struggled to impose themselves on their relegation-tipped visitors. New signing Marcus Mathisen gave them the lead shortly after half time, only for Felix Klaus to respond soon afterwards. St. Pauli were unable to find a decisive second goal and ultimately had to settle for a disappointing draw on home soil.
Rapp is looking forward to returning to his former club but is solely focused on securing three points:
“It’s a special game for me. I spent a long time at Kiel and had a very successful spell there. I’ll never forget it. We took the club to a new level but I go back now as head coach of St. Pauli. I’m looking forward to the game and I’m determined to win it.”
The last competitive meeting between these two sides came in the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign, with St. Pauli taking maximum points from both encounters. The Kiezkicker won 3-1 at home before completing the double with a 2-1 victory in Kiel. The Storks have not beaten Friday’s opponents since 2021.
Walter and Rapp have faced each other nine times during their respective managerial careers, with Walter holding the upper hand after winning five of those meetings. Rapp has recorded two victories, with the other two encounters ending in draws.
Team news
Holstein Kiel: Taisei Abe, Lasse Rosenboom, Andu Kelati, Sebastian Schonlau, Giorgi Kvilitaia, Steven Skrzybski and Frederik Roslyng are unavailable for the hosts.
FC St. Pauli: Abdoulie Ceesay, Connor Metcalfe, Mathias Pereira Lage and Gísli Thórðarson are all set to miss the trip to Kiel.
Predicted lineups
Holstein Kiel (4-1-4-1): Weiner; Sekine, Nekic, Zec, Parduzi; Meffert; Kaprálik, Balzi, Davidsen, Bernhardsson; Harres.
FC St. Pauli (3-4-1-2): Voll; Nemeth, Mathisen, Andō; Pyrka, Fujita, Rasmussen, Oppie; Hrgota; Hara, Kaars.
