Matanović scores brace against boyhood club St Pauli in Freiburg win
Freiburg's Igor Matanovic celebrates after scoring his side's first goal of the game during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC St. Pauli and SC Freiburg at the Millerntor Stadium. Christian Charisius/dpa Igor Matanović scored a brace against his boyhood club as St Pauli's Bundesliga relegation fears deepened with a 2-1 home defeat against Freiburg on Sunday, while Mainz got a crucial 2-1 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Pauli would have left the danger zone with a victory and led in the 24th from Danel Sinani's tap-in after Tomoya Andō had headed a corner kick into his path. But Freiburg hit back after the break. Matanović, who came through Pauli's acedemy and started his professional career at the Hamburg, levelled in the 65th a little accidently when a shot from Vincenzo Grifo deflected into the net off him.
Freiburg had a second from Cyriaque Irié nullified due to offside but they got the winner two minutes in the 78th when Pauli goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj failed to hold on to a shot from Irié and Matanović tapped home. The defeat left Pauli in third last, two points behind Cologne who parted ways with coach Lukas Kwasniok on Sunday. Europa League quarter-finalists Freiburg are eighth and moved within one point of Frankfurt, with seventh possibly enough to play in Europe.
Frankfurt failed to get nearer to the top six in Mainz, who for their part got a breather in the lowlands thanks to a brace from Paul Nebel in the Rhine-Main derby which saw them move six clear of St Pauli. Nebel fired Mainz ahead in the sixth minute with the help of a deflection from defender Arthur Theate. Frankfurt were level in the 20th from Nathaniel Brown after an initial effort from former Mainz forward Jonathan Burkardt was blocked.
Sheraldo Becker hit the post in the 84th for Mainz before Nebel drilled the winner in the 89th for the Conference League quarter-finalists after Frankfurt goalkeeper Michael Zetterer had saved a header from Nelson Weiper. Augsburg are up against top four contenders VfB Stuttgart in the late game. Freiburg's Igor Matanovic (C) scores his side's second goal of the game during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC St.