2. Bundesliga: St. Pauli draws at Kiel in Rapp's return

Holstein Kiel and FC St. Pauli remain winless after the second matchday of the 2. Bundesliga season, following a hard-fought 2-2 draw at the sold-out Holstein-Stadion. The match marked the return of St. Pauli coach Marcel Rapp to his former club, but neither side could secure the coveted first victory of the season.

St. Pauli established a commanding 2-0 lead by halftime. Martijn Kaars opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, capitalizing on a defensive error. Taichi Hara extended the lead in first-half stoppage time, converting a well-prepared pass from Arkadiusz Pyrka. The visitors had an earlier chance in the second minute, but Kaars failed to convert after a back pass from Kiel's Ivan Nekic.

However, Kiel showed resilience in the second half. Phil Harres pulled one back in the 56th minute, and Jonas Therkelsen equalized in the 88th minute, much to the delight of the home crowd. This comeback prevented Kiel from suffering their sixth consecutive defeat against their northern rivals and secured a crucial point.

The second half saw a brief delay due to pyrotechnics set off by Kiel fans, which momentarily obscured the sun and slightly cooled the temperature. Despite the disruption, Kiel's determined performance in the second half, characterized by their fighting spirit, ultimately earned them a share of the points.