Abdoulie Ceesay shines as super sub for St Pauli

Abdoulie Ceesay is emerging as a real bright spot for FC St Pauli in the final stretch of the season, turning into a late-game weapon from the bench.

The 22-year-old forward has scored in each of his last two Bundesliga appearances, both after coming on as a substitute, and seems to have fully embraced his role as an impact joker.

For much of the campaign, Ceesay struggled to make a mark despite several cameos. After winning a penalty on Matchday 1 against Borussia Dortmund, his influence in attack faded for a long period. Now, however, he has two goals in just 274 Bundesliga minutes,  effectively a goal every 137 minutes, underlining how efficient he has become in limited time.

Head coach Alexander Blessin is delighted with the progress he has seen. He highlighted that Ceesay is holding the ball up better, finding smarter spaces and making himself more available, while his first touch has “significantly improved.” His aggression in pressing was already one of his biggest strengths.

Yet Blessin is not planning to change his status just yet. Even in the decisive season finale against Wolfsburg, Ceesay is expected to start on the bench, with the coach convinced that using him for around half an hour is “exactly right” to keep him sharp and fully committed. In the battle for the relegation play-off place, St Pauli will again be counting on their super sub to make the difference.