A closely contested match at the Millerntor saw FC St. Pauli fall to Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1-2 in a fifth-round clash of the Bundesliga. The home side demonstrated early attacking intent, with Smith narrowly missing the target with a header in the second minute and Houtondji later creating a promising shooting opportunity blocked by Badé.
Despite St. Pauli’s initial pressure, Leverkusen took the lead in the 25th minute. A free kick from Grimaldo was mishandled by Wahl, allowing Tapsoba to capitalize with a close-range finish. Wahl redeemed himself shortly after in the 32nd minute, deflecting a Flekken delivery into the net following a corner kick, leveling the score before halftime.
The second half mirrored the first, with St. Pauli maintaining a vibrant attacking presence. However, Leverkusen regained the lead in the 58th minute. A well-worked combination involving Grimaldo and Schick culminated in a precise assist to Poku, who secured the goal from a short distance.
Despite continued efforts, St. Pauli were unable to convert their chances, evidenced by a missed opportunity in the 68th minute following a turnover by Quansah. Leverkusen’s Hjulmand-coached team ultimately secured the victory, advancing them to fourth place in the league standings. St. Pauli, meanwhile, drop to sixth.
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, results included a 0-2 victory for Dortmund against Mainz, a 0-1 win for Leipzig over Wolfsburg and a 2-1 result favoring Heidenheim against Augsburg.
