St Pauli back in Bundesliga for the first time in 13 years
St Pauli will play in the Bundesliga for the first time in 13 years next season after securing promotion in a 3-1 win against relegated VfL Osnabrück on Sunday.
With one game left this season, the second division leaders have a six-point advantage over third-placed Fortuna Düsseldorf and will finish in the top two, therefore, in one of the spots for automatic promotion.
Oladapo Afolayan was on target in the seventh minute and again in the 58th before Marcel Hartel completed the special victory in the 68th.
Lars Kehl pulled one back for Osnabrück in stoppage time but that didn't ruin St Pauli's celebrations in front of their fans, who rushed to the pitch after the final whistle.
"I won't say anything about the game itself today. Just compliments to the team and my staff," coach Fabian Hürzeler said.
"I'm very happy that the team rewarded themselves with their performance today. I'm happy with the team and with the people in charge who put their trust in me. I'm glad that we were able to return the favour and also give something back to the fans," he added.
The title race, however, will be concluded only in the final matchday next weekend. St Pauli top the table one point ahead of Holstein Kiel, who on Saturday celebrated their first-ever promotion to the Bundesliga after a 1-1 draw with Düsseldorf.
Both games will kick off at the same time next Sunday (1330 GMT). While St Pauli travel to Wehen Wiesbaden, Kiel visit Hanover.
Düsseldorf, meanwhile, are secured a third-place finish and will bid for a spot in the top tier in the play-off against the 16th-placed in the Bundesliga.
St Pauli will celebrate returning to the first class before crosstown rivals SV Hamburg. The former European and Bundesliga champions were relegated in 2018 and next term will play their seventh consecutive season in the Bundesliga.
"My emotions are going crazy, I've never felt anything like it. Gratitude, joy, everything. I'm completely overwhelmed. It's just unbelievable when I see how much it means to people, not just to us. Unbelievable!" midfielder Jackson Irvine said.
