St. Pauli dig deep to edge Stuttgart and end winless run

St. Pauli secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Stuttgart at the Millerntor this afternoon, recording their first league win since December.

Goals from Manolis Saliakas and Daniel Sinani either side of half-time proved enough for Alexander Blessin’s side, who were forced to withstand a nervy finale after Jamie Leweling pulled one back in stoppage time.

The opening 20 minutes were played at a frantic tempo, with both sides keen to assert themselves in the final third. St. Pauli made the brighter start, as Martijn Kaars fired wide before James Sands saw a goal-bound effort blocked by Maximilian Mittelstädt, the home crowd responding with growing belief.

As the half wore on, Stuttgart began to dominate possession, yet it was St. Pauli who continued to look the more dangerous on the counter. Their persistence was rewarded in the 35th minute, when neat interplay down the left allowed Arkadiusz Pyrka to burst into the area and square the ball. Daniel Sinani smartly dummied, leaving Manolis Saliakas to lash a first-time finish past Alexander Nübel.

Stuttgart attempted to respond by committing numbers forward, but the hosts remained the sharper side. Sands again went close before the interval, only for a last-ditch block to deny him, as the Kiezkickers went into the break deservedly ahead.

St. Pauli doubled their advantage early in the second half. Chris Führich, attempting to bring a loose ball under control, inadvertently handled in the area, and following a VAR review the referee pointed to the spot. Sinani stepped up confidently, sending Nübel the wrong way to send the Millerntor into raptures.

Frustration soon crept into Stuttgart’s play, with Deniz Undav and Ermedin Demirović both cautioned as the visitors struggled to generate sustained pressure. A late twist arrived in the 90th minute when Jamie Leweling fired home to give Stuttgart hope, but St. Pauli held firm through the closing moments to secure a hugely important three points.

The victory leaves St. Pauli 16th in the table but crucially keeps them within touching distance of safety, ending the weekend just two points adrift. Stuttgart, meanwhile, suffer their first defeat in four matches across all competitions and could be overtaken by Leipzig on Sunday.