In a thrilling encounter on Saturday, Bayer Leverkusen claimed a 2-1 victory over FC St. Pauli on Matchday 5 of the Bundesliga. The match saw Edmond Tapsoba break the deadlock in the 25th minute, scoring after a well-crafted play. Hauke Wahl equalized for FC St. Pauli just seven minutes later, finding the net in the 32nd minute. The decisive goal came from Ernest Poku, who scored again for Leverkusen in the 58th minute.
Ernest Poku was undoubtedly the standout player of the match, contributing one goal to his team’s victory. Tapsoba also played a crucial role for Leverkusen, adding to his impressive performance with a goal.
FC St. Pauli, managed by Alexander Blessin, utilized a 4-4-2 formation featuring goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, along with Lars Ritzka, Eric Smith, Hauke Wahl, and Louis Oppie in defense. The midfield comprised Manolis Saliakas, Joel Fujita, James Sands, and Mathias Pereira Lage, while Danel Sinani and Andreas Hountondji led the attack.
On the other hand, Bayer Leverkusen, under the guidance of head coach Kasper Hjulmand, also deployed a 4-4-2 setup. Mark Flekken was in goal, protected by a defensive line that included Tapsoba, Loic Bade, Jarell Quansah, and Alejandro Grimaldo. The midfield featured Axel Tape, Robert Andrich, Aleix García, and Eliesse Ben Seghir, with Malik Tillman and Patrik Schick spearheading the forward line.
Referee Martin Petersen officiated the match, ensuring a fair contest between both sides.
Following this match, FC St. Pauli will face Werder Bremen in their next fixture, while Bayer Leverkusen will host Union Berlin at the BayArena.
After the game, Bayer Leverkusen remains in sixth place with 7 points, while FC St. Pauli is positioned fourth with 8 points in the league.
Substitutions for FC St. Pauli
68’ 2nd Half – Lars Ritzka was substituted by Adam Dzwigala; Andreas Hountondji came off for Martijn Kaars.
80’ 2nd Half – Joel Fujita was replaced by Connor Metcalfe; Mathias Pereira Lage was substituted by Oladapo Afolayan.
87’ 2nd Half – Manolis Saliakas exited the field for Abdoulie Ceesay.
Yellow Cards for FC St. Pauli:
5’ 2nd Half – Joel Fujita, 41’ 2nd Half – Eric Smith, 53’ 2nd Half – Abdoulie Ceesay.
Substitutions for Bayer Leverkusen
45’ 2nd Half – Robert Andrich made way for Ezequiel Fernández.
56’ 2nd Half – Eliesse Ben Seghir was substituted by Ernest Poku; Axel Tape was replaced by Lucas Vázquez.
75’ 2nd Half – Malik Tillman left the field for Jonas Hofmann.
89’ 2nd Half – Patrik Schick was substituted by Christian Kofane.
Yellow Cards for Bayer Leverkusen:
21’ 1st Half – Jarell Quansah, 15’ 2nd Half – Lucas Vázquez, 40’ 2nd Half – Kasper Hjulmand, 47’ 2nd Half – Ezequiel Fernández, 47’ 2nd Half – Loic Bade, 54’ 2nd Half – Christian Kofane.