In a crucial Bundesliga clash at the millerntor-Stadion, FC St. Pauli secured a vital 2-1 victory over VfB Stuttgart, boosting their fight to avoid relegation. Goals from Manolis Saliakas and Danel Sinani proved decisive, despite a late strike from Stuttgart’s Jamie Leweling, in a match that saw the hosts deliver a spirited performance. The result marks stuttgart’s first league defeat of the new year and intensifies the battle at both ends of the Bundesliga table.
FC St. Pauli delivered a statement win in the Bundesliga relegation battle, defeating VfB Stuttgart 2-1 (1-0). Manolis Saliakas and Danel Sinani found the net for the hosts, securing their first victory of the year. A late goal from Jamie Leweling wasn’t enough for Stuttgart.
The result marked Stuttgart’s first league defeat of the new year, a setback in their pursuit of a Champions League spot. Despite the loss, Stuttgart remains fourth in the standings with 39 points, but could be overtaken by Leipzig.
“We weren’t able to bring the basics onto the pitch,” Stuttgart manager Sebastian Hoeneß told reporters after the match.
St. Pauli, meanwhile, celebrated a crucial three points in their fight against relegation. The hosts remain in 17th place with 17 points, but have closed the gap to safety. The non-relegation zone is now just two points away.
St. Pauli Start Strong
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The match began with a surprise: relegation-threatened St. Pauli came out firing and were the better side early on. Stuttgart struggled to defend the hosts’ deliveries into the box. Stuttgart’s first real opportunity came after 15 minutes, but Chris Führich’s angle was too tight.
However, St. Pauli’s biggest weakness was on display: the league’s lowest-scoring offense was too hesitant with their promising attacks. Shots either sailed into the arms of Alexander Nübel in the Stuttgart goal or were blocked by a defender.
Saliakas Gives St. Pauli the Lead
Ten minutes before halftime, the Millerntor erupted: a low cross found Martijn Kaas, who cleverly laid it off for Saliakas to fire home into the top right corner. Stuttgart looked strangely lacking in ideas and composure. James Sands nearly doubled the lead, but was blocked by Ramon Hendriks at the last second.
Stuttgart manager Hoeneß reacted to his team’s lackluster performance by bringing on Leweling for the ineffective Bilal El Khannouss at the start of the second half.
Handball Penalty for St. Pauli
The next unfortunate moment came when Stuttgart’s Führich handled the ball in his own penalty area – a clear penalty, awarded by referee Benjamin Brand. Sinani calmly converted from the spot, sending the keeper the wrong way to make it 2-0. The visitors refused to give up, but Deniz Undav’s attempted chip sailed over the bar.
Stuttgart pushed for a response, but St. Pauli defended with passion and relentless running. They nearly added a third when Kaas and Sinani were both denied by a strong save from Nübel.
Late Goal Not Enough for Stuttgart
A minute into added time, the game took a dramatic turn: Leweling skillfully dribbled past Saliakas and slotted home to make it 2-1. Stuttgart threw everything forward during the six minutes of stoppage time, but couldn’t create a clear chance.
Up Next for St. Pauli and Stuttgart
St. Pauli will travel to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday afternoon (February 14, 2026, 3:30 PM), where they were previously defeated 3-0 in the DFB-Pokal quarterfinal. Stuttgart will host 1. FC Köln on Saturday evening (6:30 PM).
