Irvine calls for energy from the start
Jackson Irvine said his St. Pauli team-mates need to bring the energy, as they fight to keep their club in the Bundesliga over the final two rounds of the competition.
Speaking after his side's 2-1 loss to Mainz, Australia veteran Irvine praised the effort of St. Pauli's second half substitutes - among them his Socceroos tam-meat Connor Metcalfe - who helped helped the team wrestle momentum in the second half, having dropped to 2-0 at the break via goals to Phillip Tietz and Phillipp Mwene.
Another substitute, Abdoulie Ceesay, scored a late equaliser and Irvine said his team needs to bring the same energy from the start, as its fight for survival enters the last fortnight of the season.
"Towards the end, we were much better and carried a greater threat in the final third," Irvine said. "Mainz were tiring a bit and our substitutes did very well and brought energy into the game.
"We need that energy from the off in the next few games. We have to keep believing, it’s still all to play for. We have to keep that in mind and stay positive.”
The sentiment was echoed by Metcalfe, who replaced striker Danel Sinani at the start of the second half.
“We all know we can do better but we lack confidence at the moment," Metcalfe said. "Things aren’t going how we’d like them to even though we’re trying hard.
"We gradually increased the pressure in the second half – that’s how we should have started. We went behind early on, but still, we have to stay in the game and keep our focus.”
St. Pauli, perched in the second automatic relegation position on 26 points, will need every bit of focus in its penultimate match of the season, a trip to RB Leipzig.
Relegation rival Wolfsburg - also on 26 points but occupying the relegation play-off position on goal differential, hosts Bayern Munich.
St. Pauli then hosts Wolfsburg in a season-defining final match of the season. One that shapes an all-or-nothing fight for a chance at survival.
