Bayer Leverkusen bolstered their title aspirations with a narrow 2-1 victory over a determined St. Pauli, who made the hosts work hard for the win.
The game sprang to life in the opening minutes as Florian Wirtz, a FIFA Best nominee, showcased his brilliance.
In the sixth minute, Wirtz received a smart pass from Granit Xhaka, glided past Eric Smith on the edge of the penalty area, and calmly placed the ball beyond the reach of the St. Pauli goalkeeper, giving Leverkusen an early advantage.
Leverkusen maintained their dominance, doubling their lead in the 21st minute. Jonathan Tah capitalized on a pinpoint Aleix García corner, rising above the defense to thump a header into the back of the net.
As the first half progressed, tempers flared, with Piero Hincapié receiving a yellow card in the 28th minute for a foul on Morgan Guilavogui. St. Pauli’s striker was also booked nine minutes later as the visitors fought hard to stay in contention.
The second half saw tactical tweaks from both sides. Leverkusen’s coach, Xabi Alonso, introduced Jeremie Frimpong for Exequiel Palacios at the hour mark to add pace to the right wing. St. Pauli responded by bringing on Danel Sinani in the 79th minute to inject creativity into their attack.
The visitors grew in confidence as the half wore on, with Guilavogui emerging as their key attacking threat. Leverkusen struggled to replicate their first-half intensity, with missed chances from Wirtz and Nathan Tella keeping the game within reach for St. Pauli.
Alonso brought on fresh legs in Martin Terrier and Jeanuël Belocian to replace Wirtz and Alejandro Grimaldo in the 78th minute.
Drama unfolded late in the game as St. Pauli’s persistence bore fruit. In the 84th minute, Morgan Guilavogui delivered a moment of brilliance, cutting past Arthur and unleashing a stunning shot into the top corner, leaving Lukáš Hrádecký helpless. The goal energized the visitors, who launched a final push for an equalizer.
Leverkusen, feeling the pressure, introduced Robert Andrich for Nathan Tella in the 87th minute to bolster their midfield.
Despite St. Pauli’s late efforts, including a stoppage-time booking for Adam Dźwigała, Leverkusen held firm to secure a hard-earned win.
Florian Wirtz was the standout performer of the match, setting the tone with his early goal and consistently troubling the opposition with his creativity and movement.
He completed the highest number of successful passes in the attacking half and was a constant threat with his dribbling skills.
Remarkably, Wirtz was the most targeted player on the pitch, facing 28 pressing attempts from the St. Pauli defense. His ability to maintain composure under pressure and link play was crucial to Leverkusen’s attacking success, especially in the first half when they established their lead.
