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SportsSt. Pauli End Austria Camp with 1-4 Friendly Loss to Bournemouth
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FC St. Pauli concluded their Austria training camp with a 1-4 loss to Premier League side AFC Bournemouth in Saalfelden. St. Pauli took an early lead through Martijn Kaars in the 22nd minute, but Bournemouth responded quickly, equalizing via Gannon-Doak in the 25th minute and taking a 2-1 lead before halftime. In the second half, Bournemouth's superior quality and squad depth, including substitutes like Adli, Kluivert, and Diakité, proved decisive. St. Pauli conceded two more goals, including a set-piece header from Diakité, making the final score 1-4. Coach Marcel Rapp's side struggled defensively, particularly from set pieces and against Bournemouth's physicality. Captain Branimir Hrgota acknowledged the defensive issues but noted the match was a valuable learning experience. St. Pauli's next test is against Deportivo A Coruña before their league opener against Fürth on August 9.
Source report
At the conclusion of their Austria training camp, FC St. Pauli faced Premier League side AFC Bournemouth in Saalfelden. The second-division side suffered a clear 1:4 defeat against the toughest test opponent in their preparations.
For context: Bournemouth finished sixth last season, qualifying for the Europa League. The team fielded by new head coach Marco Rose (49, formerly of Leipzig and Dortmund) had a squad value of €206.6 million (source: transfermarkt.de).
1:4! Harsh Lesson in Tough Test for St. Pauli
Coach Marcel Rapp (47) deployed his current first-choice eleven, and they performed well in the early stages. After setup work from Louis Oppie, Martijn Kaars finished the attack with the 1:0 in the 22nd minute.
The goal served as a wake-up call for the opponent. Bournemouth became more committed and aggressive from that point onward. Arek Pyrka particularly felt the English physicality on the right wing. Tavernier intercepted his (too) quickly taken free kick, leading to a counterattack, a pass, and the equalizer by Gannon-Doak (25'). Gannon-Doak followed up with the 1:2 before the break (37'). After a free kick, Christie was able to head unchallenged in the middle; Ben Voll could only parry forward, and Williams tapped in from one meter.
"We did well in the first half, but then conceded unnecessary goals. Bournemouth grew into the game with each goal. It became more difficult in the second half," said Branimir Hrgota on fcsp.com.
Rose added firepower in the second half with former Leverkusen player Adli, Kluivert, and Diakité. This trio alone has a market value of €70 million — significantly more expensive than the entire Kiezklub squad (€48 million).
The defense again looked shaky from a set piece. During a corner, Ricky-Jade Jones didn't jump, Hrgota was too late against Diakité behind him, and Tomoya Ando was also disoriented. Diakité was able to head in the 1:4 from a standing position in the 52nd minute. Shortly before, Jebbison had made it 1:3 (47'). Voll later had to make an emergency stop against Adli (67'). Fortunately, St. Pauli was able to continue with eleven men and recovered afterward.
Hrgota: "It was a good test for us because it showed what we need to improve defensively. That's what preparations are for. We'll analyze it and then try to improve the small details."
Upcoming Fixtures
- Final Test: Saturday, 6:30 PM — Home against La Liga promoted side Deportivo A Coruña
- League Opener: August 9, 1:30 PM — Fürth visits Millerntor
FC St. Pauli Lineup: Voll – Nemeth (83' Ritzka), Mathisen, Ando – Pyrka, Rasmussen, Fujita, Oppie (83' Ahlstrand) – Jones (58' Hara), Kaars (83' Banks), Hrgota
Source
BILD - SportWestern
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St. Pauli Suffers 1-4 Defeat in Pre-Season Friendly Against Bournemouth