Fourth-tier Hallescher and Bundesliga side St Pauli will go head-to-head in Friday's DFB-Pokal clash at Leuna Chemie Stadion.
St Pauli will be keen to avoid any potential upset as they look to build confidence ahead of their first top-flight campaign since 2010-11.
Match preview
© Imago
Hallescher are competing in the Pokal in consecutive seasons after they won the Saxony-Anhalt Cup for the second season in a row.
They netted a 90th-minute equaliser in last season's final against VfB Germania Halberstadt, before going on to net three goals in extra time to record a 4-2 victory.
After securing their place in the Pokal, Hallescher will be dreaming of pulling off an upset in Friday's contest as they bid to reach the second round for the first time since 2016-17.
Hallescher have warmed up for the cup tie with three league fixtures, which has saw them record consecutive draws before easing to a 4-0 win over Rot-Weiss Erfurt.
Having conceded just one goal in their first three league games, Friday's hosts know that they will have to produce another strong defensive display if they are to trouble their Bundesliga opponents.
St Pauli are looking forward to competing in the Bundesliga for the first time in 13 years after winning the 2.Bundesliga title last season.
Unfortunately for St Pauli, they were unable to keep hold of their promotion-winning manager Fabian Hurzeler, who was appointed as Roberto De Zerbi's successor at Brighton & Hove Albion.
St Pauli subsequently appointed Alexander Blessin as Hurzeler's successor after being impressed by his work at Union Saint-Gilloise last season, leading the club to their first Belgian Cup triumph in 110 years.
Blessin will be satisfied with his new team's work in pre-season, having seen his side record four wins and one defeat in five friendlies.
The newly-promoted club will hope to build upon those results in Friday's contest as they look to progress to the second round for the fourth season in a row.
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Team News
The hosts may have to cope without the services of Jonas Nietfeld, Burim Halili, Lucas Halangk, Jordi Wegmann and Anthony Roczen.
Hallescher boss Mark Zimmermann could decide to name an unchanged lineup after seeing his side ease to a 4-0 win at the weekend.
As for the visitors, Blessin has revealed that Friday's game will come too soon for Manolis Saliakas, who has recently returned to training following a calf injury.
Fin Stevens, Robert Wagner and Morgan Guilavogui are all poised to make their competitive debuts after starting St Pauli's final friendly against Atalanta.
Johannes Eggestein has scored in the last two friendlies, and he will be looking to carry that form into the first competitive match of the new season.
Hallescher possible starting lineup:
Muller; Landgraf, Lohmannsroben, Berger; Hauptmann, Kulke, Stierlin, Richardson, Weber; Akono, Friedrich
St Pauli possible starting lineup:
Vasilj; Wahl, Mets, Smith; Stevens, Irvine, Wagner, Treu; Metcalfe, Guilavogui, Eggestein
We say: Hallescher 0-2 St Pauli
St Pauli head into Friday's fixture off the back of three consecutive friendly victories, and we think that they will continue to build momentum by claiming a relatively comfortable victory in the first round of the Pokal.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Sully
