In the 110th edition of the Hamburg City Championship, FC St. Pauli took the lead over HSV thanks to Jackson Irvine's goal. However, the celebration was short-lived when their goalkeeper, Daniel Heuer Fernandes, inexplicably scored an own goal, sending the ball into their own net just as it bounced before him.
Despite the unfavorable turn of events, HSV coach Tim Walter kept his sense of humor, attributing the goal to the "funniest scenes of the year and the highlights." His team rallied and evened the score with two second-half goals from Robert Glatzel and Immanuel Pherai, saving them from a potential setback.
HSV's sporting director, Jonas Boldt, was grateful for the point, acknowledging that St. Pauli had few chances to score in the second half. The draw left HSV trailing St. Pauli by three points in the 2nd Bundesliga table.
The Hamburg derby, a highly anticipated event in Germany's soccer league, often yields unpredictable outcomes and this season proved no exception. Despite playing away, HSV managed to cope with the slippery surface caused by snow, and capitalized on St. Pauli's lull in the second half.
The 2-2 draw was a fair result, given the swing in fortunes throughout the game. Coach Fabian Hürzeler was disappointed that his team only managed a draw after dominating the first half, but praised HSV's resilience in responding to the own goal.
HSV and FC St. Pauli's derby matches are steeped in history and rivalry, drawing engaged crowds to both Millerntor Stadium and TV channel Sky. The occurrence of own goals might be a regular feature in football, but in the context of this game, it only added to the enduring excitement of the Hamburg derby.
