Bayer Leverkusen etched their name into Bundesliga history on Saturday afternoon, extending their remarkable unbeaten away run to 36 matches (W24, D12) with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over St. Pauli.
The home side nearly stunned the visitors early on when Eric Smith’s towering header flashed just wide, a warning that jolted Leverkusen into sharper possession play.
Jarell Quansah soon tested St. Pauli’s backline, though gaps at the other end almost allowed Andreas Hountondji to give the hosts the lead inside the opening quarter hour.
St. Pauli’s defensive shape frustrated Leverkusen for much of the first half, while Quansah’s third yellow card in five outings forced the visitors into a more cautious approach.
Yet fortune swung their way when Hauke Wahl misjudged a floated free-kick, leaving Edmond Tapsoba to smash home from close range.
That advantage lasted just minutes. A rare mistake from Mark Flekken gifted Wahl a chance for redemption, and the defender pounced with a looping finish to restore parity.
Tempers flared before the interval as both sides flew into challenges, with Quansah particularly fortunate to avoid punishment after a push in the box.
St. Pauli emerged the brighter after the restart, testing Flekken repeatedly through Louis Oppie, Manolis Saliakas, and Danel Sinani.
But against the run of play, substitute Ernest Poku made an instant impact, turning in with his very first touch to restore Leverkusen’s lead.
From there, the match opened up. Leverkusen’s slick combinations dragged their hosts across the pitch, though St. Pauli’s grit kept them alive until the final whistle. Loïc Badé anchored the defence in the late exchanges, surviving a scare when his poor clearance nearly invited another equaliser.
The only sour note for Leverkusen came late on as Patrik Schick limped off with a suspected hamstring injury.
Even so, the victory not only preserved their unbeaten streak but also lifted them above St. Pauli into fourth place. For the hosts, the wait to beat Leverkusen in the league stretches back to 1997.
